Snowdrops
by catauragay
Summary: What if Elsa's battle with Khione didn't go well? What if she lost? How would this affect Nico? Would he still find it in himself to keep going with life and thaw his frozen heart? (Sequel to Ghost King, Snow Queen. Please read that one first.)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Welcome to the alternate sequel to GK,SQ. Remember to read that one first if you haven't already, because otherwise, this one and Roses will make no sense whatsoever.**

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Elsa and Khione were wearing each other down in their fight to the death. The battle lasted weeks. Both of them were rising and falling for the longest time. Up and down, like mountains and valleys. They were both losing the battle. This was not good for Elsa. She had to get out of this alive. She had to see Nico again, and possibly Anna.

She was getting desperate. Elsa had to keep moving. She had to keep fighting. She couldn't stop for anything. She had to keep firing what she had at Khione. Elsa couldn't afford to even slow down even the tiniest bit.

Neither of the participants in the battle wanted to admit that this was harder than they thought it would be. They didn't want to admit weakness, even in their heads. But they knew that they were in too deep to back out. Neither of them could back out. And they were probably going to go down together. They were both beginning to realize that there might not be a winner. This was turning into a disaster.

Elsa's hair was getting blown out of her braid. Her tiara had knocked off, and it was now just sitting on the floor. It had been trodden on a couple of times by both parties in this ongoing battle. Elsa's necklace stayed where it was, as did her ring. Her dress had begun to be stretched out, and was looser on her now. It didn't fall or fit correctly, but it wasn't completely constricting Elsa anymore. She was desperate now. She looked for someplace to run. Perhaps she could escape now. She could run down the streets of the city they were in. Elsa knew that they were in the province of Quebec. Perhaps she could find help. After all, she knew how to speak French. Elsa could survive, she was sure of it. She eyed a door, which she knew led to Khione's closet. Perhaps she could cause a diversion and run in there. Maybe Elsa could hide.

The room was full of ice and snow. Banks of snow, and icicles like stalagmites and stalactites were everywhere. Elsa might be able to summon an ice wall with a bank of snow behind it large enough to protect her for a moment. And she could summon more ice and snow to cover herself. Perhaps she could find something to wear in there so that she wouldn't look awful on the streets. (Presentation in front of people who didn't know her was still important to Elsa. She didn't want to go out looking the way she did. Elsa did still have her values after everything that had been done to her. She was still a princess no matter what.)

Elsa conserved her energy by using more defensive attacks, as they weren't as rigorous for her. She moved slowly so that she was close enough to the door of Khione's closet. She stayed there for a moment, deflecting her mother's attacks, trying to make sure it wasn't obvious that she was about to run away; showing weakness.

Breaking their stalemate, even for a minute would allow Elsa to rest and recharge in a major way. She had found strength she'd never even realized was possible for her. She'd done the most amazing things in this battle. Elsa had truly never known what she was truly capable of before this. It was saddening to know that she had to go through this in order to learn so much about her powers, but she supposed that maybe something good could come of this after all, if that was truly fathomable.

Which she supposed it could be. Maybe something good could come of those ten months of her life she'd just experienced with so many horrors.

Khione paused for a second to summon her powers. To do something big that would possibly be hell to defend against, Elsa assumed. The time to act was now, while she still could.

Elsa stamped her foot on the floor, and arose the giant ice wall that covered her well, curving over her in a slight partial dome. She opened her arms, summoning a long, thick, and large snowbank to hide behind. Once she did this, she created more snow, hiding herself from view of Khione, and dropping to her hands and knees. Elsa crawled, hidden behind the snow bank to Khione's closet. She summoned more snow to make sure Khione wouldn't see when she went in.

The Arendellian princess wanted to cry with relief once she shut the door of the closet. She was free from that long, tiresome battle that just raged on and on and on, if only for a moment. But she didn't. Elsa headed for the most casual looking white dresses in this closet.

She and Khione were now approximately the same size, so the clothes wouldn't fit too poorly. At least, Elsa hoped they wouldn't.

As she looked through the dresses quickly, Elsa formulated her plan on how to get out of there.

Perhaps she'd used the dagger Nico gave her, finally. She needed a chance to do so, though. Perhaps she could do it in here… And then escape. Elsa was sure she could get past the Boreads, as long as she used her powers. Perhaps she'd need to jump out a window, and land on a bank of snow. Even though it wasn't a good idea due to mortals, Elsa had other things to worry about, like getting out of there intact. She needed to come back with reinforcements.

Nico. Maybe she could make him remember her, and the two could come back together… And Thalia… She was a Hunter. A strong, intelligent, brave, and strategic Hunter. Elsa fantasized about pulling together an army. An army that could defeat Khione, and then Elsa could finally rest easy, knowing that she and Nico were safe from Khione.

Elsa selected a white dress with a silver rhinestone belt. It went down to the floor, and the sleeves were on her biceps; the fabric leaving her shoulders and collarbone exposed. She selected it, because it wasn't as ostentatious as other dresses in that closet, and it would be fairly easy to move around in. She found a pair of brown Greek sandals that went up to her calves next. She smirked, and put on a snowflake styled tiara of Khione's as a way of saying knulle deg to her mother. Her birth mother that was.

If she'd learned anything about family, it was that family wasn't composed of your blood kin, and your family tree. Family was composed of people who you love and care about and who love and care about you. Khione and her father were related to Elsa by blood, yet she considered her mother, the queen of Arendelle, as her mother. Anna was her sister, and Nico was her brother. All three of these people loved Elsa, and she loved them.

Elsa pulled her hair out of the messy and loose braid, and re-braided her hair into a tight side braid. She secured it, and moved it over her shoulder. She took a breath, looking at herself in the mirror.

Was Elsa ready to make her way out of there? Was she ready to escape and do whatever she needed in order to escape?

Yes, she was. Elsa realized this, and grimaced at herself in the mirror. She didn't want to do this. She'd rather spend the rest of the day sitting in that closet, but she knew that this hiding place would only work out for so long before Khione realized what was going on, and busted in there and attacked Elsa. The young princess knew that she could only wait so long before she absolutely had to leave. And she wanted to leave the closet before that happened.

Elsa lifted her skirt, and grabbed the dagger of Stygian ice, given to her a little over a year ago. She gripped it tightly in her hand, ready to run in there and stab it into the ground, and then do what it took to escape.

She took a few seconds to mentally prepare herself, knowing that she was procrastinating, and that she should just get out there. But still… She wanted to calm herself before doing what she had to.

"I'm scared." She whispered to herself, admitting the truth for the first time. "Fear is my enemy though. What do I do when I'm so afraid of my enemy?" She shed a tear out of the corner of her eye, and inhaled, remembering the love she held in her heart. She willed it to give her strength. Then she charged for the door, ready to fight once again.

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 **A/N: The Polyvore link will be on my profile. Please follow, favorite, especially review.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you to all of you who are reading, and thanks for the support. Without you, the sequels might not even exist. This is a symbiotic relationship, if you think about it. ;)**

 **BTW, there's a mashup on YouTube called Burning Hanging Chandelier Tree, and it's a mashup of four songs, and it's basically the theme song for this trilogy. Please give it a listen, especially for this chapter.**

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Long story short, everything went wrong with Elsa's strategy.

Not only was Khione waiting for her out there, but so were the Boreads. Elsa screamed upon seeing this, and threw the dagger aside, blasting them with her powers, turning her face away. Elsa hadn't had this planned.

She kept blasting her powers until she had a spare second to search for her dagger. She scrambled to look for her only physical weapon, and tucked it under the rhinestone belt of her dress. Well, Khione's dress.

Elsa felt more energized and powerful in this new dress. She supposed that this was a placebo due to having been brought up believing and being taught that presentation is everything. And maybe the dress, belonging to a goddess, had power in itself that it transferred to Elsa, due to her being Khione's daughter.

But Elsa fired her powers at her birth mother and biological uncles, while Khione screamed at them to get her and kill her. All of whom had taken some part in inflicting torture upon her. Elsa grimaced upon remembering this, telling herself not to cry. She would _not_ cry in front of these horrible and awful people; she would _not._

What had they done to her? Well…

Her mother: physical, emotional, verbal and mental abuse.

Her uncles: sexual abuse.

She knew that perhaps a little bit of rage could aid her passion in using her powers, along with the love.

She concentrated for a moment. Focusing on all of the love in her memories and her heart, gathering it all up to use in this fight. This was her last resort. Her very last hope. After this, Elsa had probably nothing left in her that she could use. Nothing.

Elsa remembered meeting baby Anna for the first time. Then holding her sister for the first time. The two growing up together, and being best friends as well as sisters. She'd always known about her powers, but once Anna was born, she found a use for them; amusing Anna. Even as a baby, Anna loved Elsa's powers, and would clap and laugh at the things her older sister could do with her powers.

The two had been tutored together, and learned their lessons together. Elsa's were more complex from the beginning; more so than Anna's because she was the crown princess of Arendelle. She was next in line for the throne, and had a lot to learn, even though everybody expected her father to last a good while. But they did need to educate Elsa rigorously from the very beginning, so they did. But Anna made these lessons worth it. The two of them learned together, and had fun, even during those hours where they were stuck with the books and paper and pens in front of them. Anna made everything fun.

But then came Anna's frozen head, and the worry and fear Elsa felt. She'd only agreed to be locked up for Anna. To protect her. Each time Anna knocked on her door, it broke Elsa's heart, but damn her if she didn't do it for Anna. For her sister. For the one she loved most.

Then came Nico. He helped Elsa to learn not to fear herself so much. When he could do so many terrifying things and wasn't afraid of them or worried that someone could get hurt, Elsa learned from this, and stopped seeing her powers as something so terrifying and horrible. He became her brother.

And yes, he was the reason Khione found Elsa, but she wouldn't have traded anything for the way it turned out. He was her best friend, and her brother. He helped her when she had broken and never gave up on her. He held on, and so did she. Neither of them let go until they were forced to by Khione, when she made Nico forget everything. But Elsa promised herself that she would go back and find him. She would find her brother, and she would help him remember her. Everything after that, they could figure out together.

Elsa let out a small cry/groan of pain as she pulled all of the love she had felt, felt and could feel from herself. It was a bright ball of light. Khione gasped.

The goddess quickly worked to pull all of her negative emotions out, which resulted in a dark blue ball. The dark blue ball was larger than the bright ball of light. But Elsa's was brighter.

It was these against each other.

All of the love Elsa had, did, and ever could feel versus all of the hate, fear and anger that Khione had and did feel.

Elsa prayed to Aphrodite that the love would win. It was all she had inside of her. She hoped that the possibilities of love could do something. She figured that it could.

Knowing that you can love someone is something not everybody realizes.

And Elsa knew that she was supposed to one day fall in love at first sight with someone. This love was set aside in her heart, but she managed to extract it. Elsa was using the possibility of love. She knew that it could be strong, because what was and what is… There is a lot of that, but there was an infinite amount of what could be, and what might be. The choices we make narrow down these paths. And Elsa hadn't made any choices yet. So the possibilities were endless.

The opponents eyed the contents of each other's hearts.

 _Take my heart_. Elsa was saying with her eyes. _Take it. Take everything in my heart._

This was terrifying to the young princess, but she knew that it had to be done. And this… She finally understood courage and bravery and all that. She was standing up for what was right, and what she believed in. Elsa was standing up for herself.

"TAKE MY HEART!" She screamed as she pushed the bright ball towards Khione and the Boreads. Her eyes were wide and full of fear. The demigod trembled as she watched what happened.

Khione pushed her negative ball of feelings towards the contents of Elsa's heart.

Elsa stood strong, fearing the worst as the two balls of energy neared each other. Time seemed to slow down.

Her thoughts moved back to Anna, hoping that she could see her younger sister again one day, and then to Nico, hoping that she could find him again, and that he would remember her. Both of them were so important to her. She held onto them in her mind, though all of the love from her heart was gone and flying across the room to collide with Khione's negative feelings.

Elsa felt a tear trickle down her cheek. She felt so empty inside… If only it would save her… She didn't know what she would do next. Perhaps her fear would work. And the dagger…

She moved her thoughts back to Anna and Nico.

If she'd had a child, she would have found a way to name her child after both of them. Maybe Elsa _would_ have a child…

Angellanna. If she had a girl, she'd name her daughter Angellanna, after her sister and her brother.

Her sister and her brother…

Then, the two giant balls of emotion collided. The room filled with a bright light, blinding everyone in the room.

That day, there in Quebec, three immortals were defeated forever. The love in Elsa's heart matched all of the fear, hate, and anger in Khione's heart. It matched perfectly. The emotion colliding was so powerful that it blew up the penthouse of that apartment building.

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Elsa died that day.

August 1st…The day Gaea rose and fell.

Elsa's thoughts ended on Nico and Anna's faces. Her brother and sister. The people she loved more than anything. Her love for them defeated Khione.

Her last words? "Take my heart."

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 **A/N: Okay, so this whole idea centers around 'what if Elsa died?'. So yes. She had to die. Now we're going to switch gears for this story. (We'll do that a couple of times.)**

 **In all honesty, I love you guys. I love your support. And I love this trilogy. I just need motivation.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I'm sorry for not updating when I said I would, but I had some personal stuff going on, and... Yeah... It wasn't your guys' fault in any way, shape, or form, just so you know. I also decided to change the updating schedule for both stories. Snowdrops will be updated on Thursdays from now on. I wanted to spread the update days apart...**

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Gaea was defeated, Octavian was dead, and everybody was cleaning up after the battle. They were also looking for Leo. Dead or alive.

Nico knew that he needed to just rest for a while. After all he'd done and been through; everything had been pretty taxing on him. But still, he helped everyone clean up the camp he'd never really called home.

Not long after the battle ended, when Nico was taking a breather from carrying dead bodies, his mind exploded with forgotten memories. As did Clarisse's, and anyone else who had been there when the platinum blonde girl—who was merely thirteen at the time—froze over the whole camp in her fear, and built an ice castle. Only a few remembered when Elsa was taken from them. Plucked from them just as easily as if plucking a ripe apple from a tree. Nico—who was not in pique condition to begin with—collapsed to his knees; clutching his head. He remembered everything. He remembered every time he saw Elsa, and thought about her. He remembered everything he knew about her. Everything had come back to him, finally.

Several people rushed over to him. Will, Percy, Hazel, Frank, and Jason were over there in seconds. Clarisse moved in front of them, kneeling in front of him; her face grim. The others looked like they were going to protest when she spoke up. Her voice was sad and desperate.

"Do you remember her too?" She asked, placing a hand on Nico's shoulder. He nodded, meeting her eyes. The same look was in their eyes. Desperation, worry, and fear for what may have happened to her in those eleven months where Elsa was gone from their memories.

"Wait, who?" Will demanded, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Nico?" Hazel asked gently, stepping forward, and crouching before her brother. "Who do you remember?"

"Elsa," He croaked, tears filling his eyes, and spilling over. They streamed down his cheeks. These memories… They were so painful… "She… She was a daughter of Khione. And she was… She was kidnapped by her mother last September."

"Elsa froze over the camp." Clarisse explained, looking over her shoulder. Her voice was flat. She avoided eye contact with any of the people standing around them. "And she made an ice castle on the hill over there." She jerked her chin towards the mountain that held many memories for them. "She was only thirteen. We had to go after her. The Hunters were here, so Thalia went with me and Nico. The three of us had to convince her to come back to camp, where she ran away from."

"We succeeded." Nico took the reins in explaining this back. "Because I knew Elsa best. She was practically my sister. We met over the summer, in maybe May or June—I can't remember exactly when, but I remember everything I did with her. Everything I ever thought about her. Everything about Elsa. We led her back to Camp, but…" His voice broke.

"She didn't even have time to scream." Clarisse's voice was strained, and it was obvious that she was trying not to cry. After all, she blamed herself for everything.

"Oh… Nico…" Hazel moved closer towards him, and she hugged her brother. Nico hugged back; glad he still had one sister left. But then he remembered….There was still hope that Elsa was alive. But then again… He wasn't going to let anything happen to Hazel in the meantime. He'd lost two of his sisters. He couldn't afford to lose Hazel now, or else he might just lose his sanity.

"Wait, how could you forget her if she meant so much to you?" Will asked out of the blue, his eyebrows furrowed. Clarisse shot him a glare at his insensitivity.

"Khione must have taken our memories of her." She informed him coolly.

Nico let go of Hazel's embrace, but took her hand. She seemed to understand. Nico needed her right now. For all he knew, he'd lost Elsa now, as well as Bianca. Hazel figured that she'd stay with him as long as he needed. Or perhaps they'd just stay together. They did have two camps to go back to. Hazel was willing to take a long vacation from the legion so that she could stay with Nico. She'd also be willing to be away from Frank. Nico was her brother. Of course everyone would understand.

"What's wrong?" Reyna made it over, having sprinted to them in order to see what was wrong, once she saw Percy, Jason and Will standing over someone. "Nico, are you alright?" She gasped, seeing what was going on. Jason quickly and quietly filled her into the extent that he could do the situation justice. Will went on to explain that because of all of the physical exertion lately, the emotions Nico felt from this, coupled with the sudden return of memories, were all a little too much. Reyna thought for a moment, then asked Percy, Jason, and will to leave, and get back to cleaning up after everything. Especially Will. She gave him a quick word, reminding him of his duty towards the wounded, because he was a doctor. She was polite, but firm about this. Will shouldn't abandon his duty as one of the small handful of doctors. Reyna then dismissed him.

A silent exchange with Hazel informed Reyna informed her that Nico needed Hazel right then. Clarisse was also the only person who even came close to understanding how Nico felt, as she'd interacted with Elsa, and her memories had been taken then replaced. Reyna stood guard of the trio as Nico gained the willingness and strength to stand again. Hazel held his hand and stayed with him for the time being. Clarisse moved on once Nico was situated with Hazel and Reyna, though she stayed near, keeping an eye on him. Chiron gave some questioning looks, but Clarisse handled it, explaining. It turned out that he remembered Elsa now.

At dinner, Chiron explained the situation to the campers, as several were extremely confused by the memories that just resurfaced.

He told them that those who had been there last September probably had some memories surface about a girl named Elsa who'd frozen the camp over in a moment of panic, and then run away. He told them that three people fetched her, but that she'd been kidnapped by Khione; her mother, before they reached the Big House. Chiron explained that their memories were removed. He asked all of them to let him know if Elsa was returned to them, and gave a quick physical description. He said that she was small, blonde, pale, and had blue eyes. During this, Nico avoided eye contact with Hazel, staring at his food rather than eating it.

He was thinking about how the description of Elsa didn't do her justice. She wasn't just small. Her frame was petite, and she was thin, but Elsa could have been better described as limber.

And she wasn't just pale either. Her skin was ivory, though when she really and truly smiled, you could see pink in her cheeks. Though, Elsa did not show much skin. She preferred a more modest and reserved wardrobe. However, when she had a burst of confidence as a result of using her powers, Elsa's style was gaudier, with lighter colors.

Elsa didn't just have blonde hair. It was white-blonde. Platinum blonde, in fact. It, unbraided, reached her waist. And Elsa usually had her hair in a braid. It was extremely rare for Nico to see it down.

And her eyes weren't just blue. They were ice blue. And they weren't really cold, as the color's name suggested. They were often scared, but when it was just Elsa and Nico, they would soften, and perhaps be warm.

Nico knew that Elsa's appearance could be summed up into those few words accurately but she meant so much to him that he couldn't just describe her briefly.

At the campfire, Nico's emotions had evened out, and he was calm. He missed Elsa, and worried about her, but despite this, he was calm. Hazel was there, and she wasn't going anywhere.

The crowd was tired. Nico could sense this.

Suddenly, there was a bright flash of light, blinding everyone briefly. A man stepped into the firelight, his face grim.

"Lord Hermes." Chiron sounded surprised, but his tone was welcoming. "What brings you here to our camp tonight?"

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 **A/N: While I was MIA, I just want you guys to know that I finished writing this story. It will have seventeen chapters.**

 **I am wondering... Do you guys like this one that much? I am curious. This doesn't get as much feedback as Roses does. Probably because this one is sadder. Whatever. This version was eating away at me, so I HAD to write it. Anyway, I don't really care anymore, because 2/3 of this trilogy is written and completed. I don't really need the feedback anymore. Yeah, it's nice, but whatever. I don't care. Only Roses left. :)**


	4. Chapter 4

"I'm escorting someone." Hermes' voice was flat as he looked around. His eyes fell on all of the demigods sitting together and singing in harmony. He still didn't smile.

"You mean _we_." A woman stepped forward. " _We_ are escorting someone." Her beautiful face looked sad.

"Lady Aphrodite." Chiron addressed her. "To what do we owe the pleasure of both of you escorting someone here?" He looked uneasy; his forced smiles looking more like grimaces. This was not without good reason.

"Today, the most amazing feat I have ever seen, done by a single demigod, has been accomplished." Aphrodite's voice rose so that everyone could hear. "Not even Heracles could have done this." Murmurs arose. Nico didn't look up. They'd probably just found Leo. That was all.

This turned out to be the general consensus. Hazel squeezed Nico's hand, having perked up upon hearing these whispers. She'd admitted to being a part of Leo's plan, and regretting it now. He still didn't look up, just staring at the ground and his lap. Nico seemed to have his mind on other things. He was just… Distant. Hazel understood this and his unspoken reasons.

"This demigod," Hermes picked up where Aphrodite left off. " _Single-handedly_ defeated _three_ immortals all at once." This made Nico slowly look up. Everyone else sobered up. Clearly, this wasn't Leo. It couldn't be. Speculations arose again. "One of which," Hermes continued, "Was a goddess." Nico was on the edge of his seat, doing his best not to hold onto Hazel's hand too tightly. He didn't want to hurt her.

Elsa. They had to be talking about Elsa, right?

"All while using the power of love." Aphrodite added.

Nico's leg bounced up and down with his anxiety. He chewed on his bottom lip.

Elsa. She had to be the one they were talking about.

"Boreas?" Aphrodite turned, looking over her shoulder. Out of the shadows stepped a man. But Nico didn't focus on him. He focused on the girl that the man held in his arms. Elsa.

She was lying in Boreas' arms in a way that she never would have, had she been awake. Perhaps Elsa was unconscious. She'd probably just passed out after defeating Khione and whoever else.

"Her name should be remembered, as well as her story. Her name and story should be told to all demigods in the future." Aphrodite gazed at Elsa sadly. "Her name was Elsa." Nico's heart nearly stopped. _Was?!_

 _No._ Nonononononono.

And then he saw it. Elsa's face was _too_ pale. Her lips were pale. There was no color to her face, and aside from being as white as milk, as opposed to the usual ivory, the pink in her cheeks was gone. Even when Elsa had been trapped in her coma from her frozen head, she hadn't looked this… Lifeless.

Nico's lips trembled as he let out an inhuman noise that could only be described as the epitome of loss and grief. Hazel quickly embraced her brother as his eyes rested on the lifeless girl, lying there in the arms of the god.

"Elsa not only defeated her mother Khione, but the sons of Boreas. Zethes and Calais." Hermes began to lead the story. "She was being held prisoner. Unspeakable things were done to her. Months after she had been kidnapped, she found some of her possessions from before, hidden under her mattress. A crown, a necklace and a ring. Now, before she came to America, she was from a small kingdom in Norway. Arendelle, it was called. Elsa was the product of infidelity between her father; the king, and the goddess Khione. This meant that she was a princess. The heir to the throne, in fact. The crown was hers from birth. The necklace held a medallion with the symbol of the kingdom." There were murmurs among people who remembered Elsa. They'd remembered how strange she was; how she'd dressed, and maybe how she'd spoken. This explained it.

"Elsa's powers, due to her parentage, were controlled by primarily her emotions." Aphrodite explained. "Fear made her lose control, while love did the opposite. Alas, she did not know this, growing up. When she was only eight years old, Elsa was locked away and isolated in her room. She was deprived of the one thing she truly needed: love. Elsa was taught 'conceal, don't feel'. She was taught to not let her feelings and emotions show. She was taught to fear her powers, that they were dangerous. This was the biggest mistake. Her parents knew little to nothing about her powers. Instead of learning to feel love, she learned to feel nothing. But four years later, by accident, she mad a friend. The two of them learned to open their hearts to love—platonic love—together." Nico's eyes traveled over to Aphrodite, who he found was looking right at him. "They became like brother and sister." She continued. Nico's eyes fell to his lap. "Khione found them and attacked both of them. She froze their hearts; trapping the love there. This prevented love from entering or leaving. Elsa was able to fend her mother off; just enough for them to escape. She had to hide in the mountains, because her friend… Her brother… He had to fight in the Titan war. While he was gone, Khione struck." Nico bit his lip hard, squeezing his eyes shut. He'd thought that Elsa hadn't made it out of that. He was, thankfully, wrong. This time, she hadn't, This time, Elsa had died.

"Elsa was plagued with nightmares for a week, courtesy of Khione. She was fragile, at that time." Hermes continued. "One day, after they stopped, she was practicing using her powers. But Khione, being her mother, took control of them and froze Elsa's head. The only reason she survived this _and_ a frozen heart was because she was Khione's daughter. She entered a coma and teetered between life and death, all while suffering from more nightmares, only these were worse. They hit her where it hurt most, and she broke. Elsa broke. You see, even the strongest and bravest can break, but that doesn't make them any less strong or brave. And being broken does not mean that you cannot be fixed."

"Elsa was saved by true love." Aphrodite declared. "Now, this was platonic love. True love can be platonic love. Her brother found her unconscious. He thought she was dead. And in saying goodbye, he kissed her forehead after giving her a ring belonging to his mother. Acts of true love. They woke her up. More than ever, Elsa needed her brother. The two of them decided to leave Arendelle together, coming here so that Elsa could start fresh. She was going to fix herself after being broken. Unfortunately, in fear, she ran away, climbing a mountain, covering the camp with snow, and creating a palace of ice. Three people went after her, including her brother. He was able to calm her down and convince her to come back with him. But when they got to camp… Elsa was taken by Khione for the last time. For ten months, she was held prisoner by her mother, and tortured. About a month ago, Elsa found her possessions; the crown, ring and necklace, under her mattress, as we have told you. She put them on. These items held such strong memories of love that they broke Khione's hold. Elsa stood up to her mother. She decided to finally just fight Khione and get it out of the way." Nico found that Aphrodite was looking at him again. This time, with a pained look in her eyes.

"The battle was fairly evenly matched at first, until Elsa began to lose. She was strong, but not strong enough." Hermes shook his head. "Elsa escaped briefly. Long enough to come up with a plan. Unfortunately, things did not go as planned." Nico felt tears welling up in his eyes. He was deaf to Hazel's words. He didn't feel her hugging him tighter, and trying to reassure him.

"Elsa, as a last resort," Aphrodite's voice wavered the slightest bit. "Did something I'd never seen before. She _emptied the contents of her heart_ out into one giant ball of energy. She stood there, holding it for a moment as Khione removed all of her negative emotions, doing the same. They launched the emotions at each other. As Elsa threw hers at Khione, she said three words… 'Take my heart.'" Nico felt something inside of his gut at knowing that Elsa's last words had been 'Take my heart'. He didn't know why. "The two sets of emotions collided… and every single person in the room… Immortal or not… did not make it out. Elsa didn't stand a chance, though nobody did. The emotions were further away from her, and she was more prone to mood swings, so she wasn't killed as quickly and easily as the others." The tears flowed freely down Nico's cheeks. Elsa had been killed by emotions she had pulled from her own heart…

"We would like to leave the decision of what is to happen to Elsa's body with her brother." Hermes stated.

"Nico di Angelo is the brother you've heard about. He was the brother who loved Elsa that much. He was the brother whom Elsa loved so much. Their bond is unbreakable even in death." Aphrodite informed everyone. She beckoned him to come down by the fire.

Nico wasn't sure how he got down there when he was feeling so numb, but he did. Boreas stepped forward, with Elsa's dead body still in his arms. Nico opened his arms, and she was passed to him. She looked so at peace…

He sobbed as he cradled her lifeless body. No amount of comfort from anyone could make him stop.

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 **A/N: Please follow, favorite, and review? (Someone... Please... I feel like you guys hate this story...)**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I am SO sorry that I forgot to update yesterday. I remembered last night though, but i was in bed. I forgot that it was Thursday, plus I was sidetracked writing something really important to me, and getting it up for a special fandom of mine. So yeah... Enjoy?**

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Nico glared at anyone who dared try to suggest that Elsa merely be burned in a shroud (no matter how 'special' they tried to make it seem) like any demigod that had died. Elsa had defeated not one, but _three_ immortals, just using the contents of her heart, and getting killed in the process. Like hell, he would just let her be forgotten like that.

As people approached him, trying to make Nico let go of Elsa's lifeless body, he merely clung to her more. Clarisse finally got Nico to agree to move from the amphitheater. She'd asked Chiron to allow them to put Elsa in the guest bedroom of the Big House, a sheet covering her. Clarisse assisted Nico in carrying her. In fact, she did it for him. Nico just trailed behind, looking only at the ground. He still felt numb all over. Inside of his chest, he felt as though a huge chunk of his heart had been torn out. He felt empty inside.

He just sat there in the guest bedroom of the Big House, all night. He just stared at the dead body covered by a sheet. The dead body that was his sister, Elsa.

She'd been wearing a tiara that he didn't recognize. But she looked beautiful in it. Elsa was always beautiful, of course. She was Nico's sister. She would always be beautiful to him. And strong. And brave.

Nico prayed to his father that Elsa would get into Elysium. She deserved it. She had to have died a heroine's death.

He hadn't spoken in several hours. He stayed up all night, sitting in the chair. He didn't move much. Nico couldn't find it within himself to move. He heard Hazel's concerned voice on the other side, talking to Chiron and Clarisse. Clarisse sometimes came in and sat with him. She'd break down, crying. Apologizing to both him and Elsa. Saying that it was all her fault, and that he should hate her, because she was the reason that Elsa was gone now. Nico shook his head and spoke up for the first time since he'd felt Elsa's death in his heart.

"It wasn't your fault, Clarisse. It was Khione's." His voice was hoarse. "She would have found a way to take Elsa anyhow. It wasn't your fault. Don't blame yourself." Nico's voice wavered and cracked several times in those five sentences. He pulled his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them; the most movement he'd made since he'd sat down in the chair.

"Nico, you need to eat, or at least drink something." Hazel pleaded, kneeling in front of him when she came in. It had been about twelve hours since he'd first gone into the room. He'd cried on and off. Nico forced himself to stay awake and watch over Elsa's dead body. She'd died alone, so now he would stay with her after death. He'd keep her company.

"Don't bother." Clarisse sighed. "I don't much feel like eating or drinking, so he probably has no interest in doing anything like that." She was watching over Nico. She'd check on him, and sit with him. The best thing about Clarisse was that she, to some degree, understood Nico's pain. She'd met Elsa, and seen how much she meant to him, and vice versa. The guilt she felt also fueled her determination with this.

Pretty soon, Will Solace pushed his way into the room, when Clarisse was sitting with Nico.

"Nico, you need to stop this right now." He crossed his arms over his chest, standing in front of Nico's view of Elsa's body. "You need to drink some water, eat some food, and go sleep in an actual bed. This isn't healthy. I don't care that you just lost someone. You need to take care of yourself first and foremost." While Will was talking to Nico, who was being unresponsive, Clarisse stood up, and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I think you should leave." Clarisse informed him firmly. "Give Nico a break. He just lost someone very important to him, and he didn't even get a chance to say goodbye. We have food and water in here, and the chairs are comfortable enough to the point that if we wanted to sleep in them, we could. We're fine. You probably have patients to attend to. Just let Nico grieve." Will glared at her.

"Just go, Will." Nico croaked. "I'm not in the mood." Will shook his head.

"Nico, please. You need to come out sometime." He pleaded. "You should come out now, rest up, eat and drink, and then you can come back in."

"The Hephaestus cabin—well, those who aren't injured to the point of not being able to work—are making a memorial and coffin or something for her." Clarisse told him. She beckoned him over. Will begrudgingly obliged. "He'll probably feel better and get back into the swing of things once she's in her final resting place." She whispered. "But you have to understand that it's going to take time. I mean, I've only seen a fraction of what they went through together, and how much they loved each other. Nico didn't even get to say goodbye. And he knows that she died alone." She stepped back, crossing her arms over her chest and let him decide on how he was going to treat this situation.

"You're asking me to neglect his health so that he can grieve?" Will raised an eyebrow.

"I see the way you look at him." She said softly. Will's eyes widened. "You do realize that his heart is frozen, right? No love can get in or out. Yeah, true love will thaw, but it's pretty rare to find true love at this age. Just… Don't get your hopes up, okay?" Will looked positively wounded at this, and quickly left the room. Clarisse hoped that Nico hadn't heard the whole exchange. He was still sitting in the chair, his knees pulled to his chest, tears streaming down his cheeks. His expression looked blank, still staring at the bed where Elsa's dead body lay, covered with a sheet.

Clarisse moved her chair closer to Nico's. She figured that it might be better if they talked about her. Maybe it'd make it easier for Nico, and he'd be willing to eat or drink something.

"She was pretty powerful, huh?" She smiled at the bed softly. "And she forgave me. It made me realize my mistake, so I'm going to protect people now. Never again will I pick on someone. I'll protect them. Even if I didn't know her well, she did affect me. I learned something from her." Nico stayed unresponsive. She didn't sigh or get frustrated. Clarisse just sat there quietly. She knew that not everybody grieves the same way, and that there's no exact right or wrong way to do it. But if Nico neglected his bodily needs for more than a day, she'd enlist help to make sure that he got what he needed in order to sustain himself. But then she'd let him come back and grieve. She wouldn't deny him of that.

There was a knock on the door. The person on the other side waited. They were waiting for permission to enter.

"Come in." Clarisse called out. The door opened, and Percy stepped in, holding a water bottle and paper bag. He closed the door behind himself.

"Um, Hazel sent me to give these to Nico." Percy explained. "She asked me not to leave until he's eaten and drank something." Clarisse sighed, and nodded, waving him over to Nico. She stood behind his chair, arms crossed over her chest. She really needed to go to the bathroom, and she could feel herself missing her bunk.

"Offer; don't force." She instructed. Percy looked up at her.

"Why would I—?"

"Don't ask." Clarisse shook her head, cutting him off. Percy knelt in front of Nico, not exactly blocking his view of Elsa's corpse, but staying within his line of sight.

"Hey, Nico…" Percy paused. "Hazel asked me to bring you some food and water. She told me not to leave until you eat and drink at least a little bit. I know it's hard, losing someone you care about, but don't hurt yourself while grieving them. I don't think Elsa would want that. Aphrodite said that the two of you loved each other a lot. She said that it was true love. I think that she'd want you to take care of yourself and live a long and happy life, even without her." Nico's eyes moved down to meet Percy's sea green eyes. Percy held out a water bottle. Nico took it. He struggled to unscrew it for a moment, before Percy opened it for him. Nico took a few sips. "Wouldn't want you to be dehydrated." Percy grimaced. Nico shook his head slowly, then took another sip; moistening his dry lips and mouth.

Nico had been suffering in silence, but found himself unable to move from his position. He'd been thirsty, and his stomach growled for food. He found his body tired. But he couldn't bring himself to move. He didn't need someone to remind him of what he needed. He'd needed assistance. Nobody thought of that except Percy.

Slowly, bit by bit, Nico drank until the water bottle was empty. Percy smiled gratefully, and took the empty water bottle from him. Nico felt a tug inside of his chest. He tried to push that out of his head. He couldn't deal with both his grief for Elsa and his romantic feelings for Percy at once. His heart could only handle so much pain at one time.

"Hazel also made you a sandwich." Percy pulled a plastic wrapped PB&J out of the paper bag. "There's some other stuff in there, if you're still hungry after eating. Or, if you don't want the sandwich, there's Oreos, an apple, those gummy fruit snacks, chips, a chocolate pudding cup… Hazel kind of put one of everything in here. She was really worried about you." Nico met Percy's eye as he slowly unwrapped the sandwich and ate the entire thing.

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 **A/N: Please let me know what you thought.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews last chapter! Just so you know, this part of the fic (aka clump of chapters) will focus on Nico grieving over Elsa's death.**

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Nico awoke from a dreamless sleep. He was still in his chair, sitting by the bed, where Elsa's dead body lay. He took a deep breath for a moment, preventing himself from letting any tears out. He didn't need to start crying again. He'd done so much already, and his eyes felt like a leaking faucet.

It was dark outside. After eating and drinking a little, and after Percy had left, Nico let himself drift off to sleep. There was a blanket over him, and a pillow under his head; on top of his arm, which he'd been resting his head on before the pillow. Clarisse must have done this. Nico yawned, sitting up straight. He wiped his eyes of any stray tears, and then rubbed them to get the sleep out. He stood up, stumbling because he hadn't walked in a day. Once Nico was steady on his feet, he approached Elsa's bed, and lifted the sheet. Her skin was still white as the sheet that had been covering her face; her lips were still pale pink. Her eyes were still closed. Elsa was still dead. Nico had been expecting this. But he wanted her face to still be fresh in his mind once they buried her.

There was a quick knock at the door before it opened. Nico dropped the sheet back over Elsa's face; turning towards the door. In stepped the oracle: Rachel Dare. She bit her lip.

"Uh, hi Nico." She said, holding a canvas in her arms. It was kind of bulky. "I… I heard about your loss." Nico internally groaned. He didn't need anyone to tell him that they knew how hard it was. Because they _didn't._ They didn't know how hard it was. They didn't know how strong or powerful their love for each other was. They didn't understand at all. Their love was strong enough to kill three immortals, as well as Elsa. It had overcome the negative emotions of a _goddess._ And that was only one side of their love. Elsa's side. Nico had felt Elsa's death in his heart, at the same time as his memories of her returning. Nobody understood. Nobody.

Nico swallowed, expecting her condolences. Her telling him that he could talk to her… He bit his lip, waiting for the well-meaning but empty words. At least… They felt empty to him. There was nobody who understood completely. Clarisse had a vague idea of how much they meant to each other, as well as Thalia. They'd seen him and Elsa together. They'd seen what her being taken away did to him. They saw his determination to go find her.

"Um… I doubt you had any pictures of her." Nico's eyebrows shot up at this, and his eyes met with Rachel's. "And I wanted to tell you… I've been having dreams about her. About both of you. And… I didn't understand why, so I painted them. The prophecy about the two of you helped it to make a little more sense. I kept having the dreams, after she'd been taken. I didn't tell anybody, because I knew that everyone had forgotten about her, and that trying to remind everyone would be like putting spilled water back into the bottle. So I kept painting Elsa. I have several paintings of her. If you want them… You can have them." Rachel turned the canvas around to reveal a painting of Elsa. She was standing in her ice castle; the tiara she'd created perched on her head, and the dress she'd made, using her powers, seemingly painted in rich detail, down to the last ice crystal. Somehow, Rachel had captured Elsa perfectly, and it took Nico's breath away.

"Th-thank you!" He gasped. "I… I don't know how I can thank you for this."

"You don't have to." She assured him. "I figure that as long as I have these paintings, I should give them to you. It makes sense. I mean, what else would I do with them?" She smiled faintly. "You can come up to my cave sometime and see the rest. Just tell me which ones you want. If I keep dreaming about Elsa, I'll keep painting her for you, okay?" Nico nodded. His hands trembled as Rachel handed the painting over to him. Tears welled up in his eyes, and leaked down his cheeks. He held the oil painting out and away from himself so that he wouldn't get his tears on it.

"Thank you." Nico whispered again.

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Nico stayed in the room for the next couple of days. Elsa's body stayed in the condition it had been when she was first given to Nico. It was probably something the gods had done so that he could grieve easily. He was thankful for it, and when he remembered to pray to them, he thanked them.

When he was alone, he'd sometimes pulled the sheet from over Elsa, and hug her cold, dead body, crying. Or he'd kiss her forehead, though it felt as cold as ice. Just little ways of saying goodbye when he wasn't able to while she was still alive. He gave her some of the gestures of affection that he wished he'd been able to give her while she was still alive.

In his head, so many things crossed his mind. He wondered what would have happened if Elsa had successfully defeated Khione and come back to him. So many scenarios ran through his head. Him introducing her to the modern world. Her adapting, the two of them traveling the world together… Slowly thawing their frozen hearts, getting married, having kids… Just a happy future. He didn't even care if they ended up as two poor young adults sharing an apartment, and where Elsa was an ice sculptor, and he was an undertaker. Something where she lived. Something where Elsa grew up, and stayed with him until they lived to a ripe old age, and died of natural causes. When it was their time.

A tear rolled down Nico's cheek, and then another. He'd been crying on and off since he'd been given Elsa's body by the gods. He didn't even care anymore if anyone saw him cry. They knew why. They knew of his bond with Elsa. And if the judged him, then so be it. That was their problem, not his.

Sometimes, he'd just sit in his chair, looking at Elsa—her body covered or uncovered—and think. About the time they'd spent together or apart, or about what should/might have been. Or he'd gaze at the painting, mesmerized with how perfectly Elsa had been captured in that picture. He'd definitely take all of Rachel's paintings of her. That way, he could never forget how Elsa looked. He wanted to make sure that he never did. She was too important for him to forget again.

People came in and out of the room, oftentimes Clarisse. Nico was given drinks and food. He slept in his chair, with his pillow and blanket. His back was extremely stiff, but he was with Elsa. There was a part of him deep inside that wanted to compensate for letting her die alone.

Hazel was one of the few people he cared to remember coming in and out of the room. She'd bring him food, drinks, or just give him a gesture of affection. Probably to remind him that she was there for him. It was a nice attempt, and Nico wished that he could appreciate it to the maximum, but he couldn't. He just… He couldn't. He did appreciate Hazel doing her best to look after him. It meant a lot, even though he wasn't really able to show it.

Reyna visited a couple of times, but was generally just giving him space. She told him that he could talk to her anytime, if he wanted. Nico nodded when she informed him of this, though he still felt numb inside.

He wondered when this feeling would go away. So far, it seemed determined to stay, as he spent long, never ending hours in that chair. He only got up to go to the bathroom, get something to drink, or get something to eat. Nico needed a shower. Everybody knew it, but didn't comment on it. They figured that as long as he was eating, drinking, and sleeping, it was better than if he was just sitting on the chair, staring at Elsa's corpse.

Will Solace returned to the room.

"Good," He said, giving a nod of approval. "You're eating, drinking, and sleeping. That's a step forward." Will looked around the room critically. "Would it kill you to open a window, or at least the curtains? It's dark in here."

"No," Nico pleaded. "I can't… Her body… It might..." His voice cracked, and he held back tears. Nico wasn't ready to let go of her body. It was all that he could hold onto at the moment.

"Well, maybe you could have Clarisse open the window tonight?" Will suggested. "It'd be best if you let some fresh air in. It wouldn't be too warm." The room didn't smell pleasant at all.

"Maybe," Nico murmured, his eyes avoiding the boy in front of him. "I'll try to remember that tonight." Will knelt in front of Nico, trying to gain eye contact.

"It's okay to grieve and be sad." Will reminded him softly. "But you can't hold onto the past too much."

"You don't understand." Nico muttered hoarsely. "Elsa… She… She was practically my sister. She accepted me. All of me. We knew each other better than anybody else knew us. We went through so much together… You don't understand how much we meant to each other, and loved one another." Nico swallowed. "I've already lost one sister before Elsa. You can't just expect me to be okay after losing another one, when I promised that I'd do my best to hold onto her and protect her." His voice wavered. "You just… You can't." Tears spilled down his cheeks again, as Nico avoided looking at Will again. "Just… Can you leave please?" Will got the message, stood up, and left. And then Percy walked in.

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 **A/N: Do ya'll remember the curse Khione placed on Nico? Like, when she froze his heart? Please check chapter... I think... 4? of GKSQ. There will be no Solangelo, because A) of Khione's curse, and the specifics of what she said, and B) I, personally, do not ship it. Take this from an actual gay person Nico's age with a giant long-term crush on someone: it was a nice gesture in BoO, but frankly, (and I'm sorry for what I will say next) it's kind of like RR just made a random male camper who was Nico's age queer, and then shoved the two together to 'give Nico a happy ending'. There was no buildup, and I personally think Will is too pushy. I think it would have been better, had Nico just made friends, and that was it. I'm sorry if you do not agree. Everything under B) was just my personal opinion, and please respect that it is my prerogative to have it, as it is your prerogative to have yours.**

 **Anyway, follow and favorite if you haven't, and please tell me what you think of the chapter. It means a lot, and it is a really nice gesture. (Please help make this more popular in the PJO+Frozen crossover section?)**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Nearly forgot what day it was.**

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"Hey Nico," Percy greeted him softly. "You… You need a tissue?" Nico lifted his head. Percy held an unused box of Kleenex in his hand. Nico nodded, and took it. With shaky hands, he opened it, and pulled out a tissue. He blew his nose and wiped his eyes. Percy picked up the already overflowing wastebasket and moved it towards him. He silently offered a water bottle to Nico, who accepted it. He then offered a protein bar. Nico shook his head.

"I-I don't know if I have much of an appetite right now." He confessed.

"That's fine." Percy shrugged. "You know, if you need to talk… I'm right here. I mean, you're probably getting that a lot, but if you need to rant or yell… Feel free." This caught Nico's attention.

"Why?"

"Because I promised you I'd look after Bianca." Percy sighed. "You know, that still haunts me when I look at you. I worry that you hate me, you know?"

"I didn't hate you." Nico practically whispered hoarsely. "I _don't_ hate you." He opened the water bottle, and drank from it to avoid having to make eye contact with Percy.

"I thought—"

"I was just…" Nico searched for the right word. "Disappointed. I thought… I was young. You were my favorite game brought to life. I needed a reality check."

"Oh," Percy paused. "I… I'm sorry."

"Don't be. You didn't do anything." Nico sighed. "Nobody did. It's all me."

Percy didn't respond, at first. He just sat there quietly with Nico, in the other chair. He seemed to be mulling over the things that Nico had said.

"You didn't do anything either, you know." Percy informed Nico after a couple of minutes. "You're the victim here. It was all Khione, from what I can tell. Elsa was a victim too. Both you were the victims. Nobody has any right to judge you for grieving." Nico closed his eyes, squeezing them shut, and hoping that he wouldn't cry again.

"Everything's in my head, Percy." Nico replied, a harsh edge to his voice. "I'm the creepy son of Hades camped out in the Big House with the corpse of a girl delivered to me by the gods, grieving. Not everybody is as understanding as you." He bit his lip, willing away his tears.

"Maybe not, but everyone grieves in different ways. Don't be too hard on yourself." Percy stood up and placed a hand on Nico's shoulder. "The way I see it, you're taking your time in saying goodbye. Nobody has the right to rush or judge you." Nico didn't respond to this.

Internally, he promised that he'd bury Elsa and try to get on with life once the Hephaestus cabin had built the coffin and memorial for her. He'd already been asked where he wanted it. To this, he said that he wasn't sure; his voice soft and almost like an echo.

The door of the room opened, pulling him back to the present time. In stepped Thalia Grace, in all her glory. She looked worried, and her eyes rested on the bed. The sheet covered Elsa's body.

"So it's true?" She asked, her voice wavering. "Elsa… She's… Gone?" Nico nodded, moving his eyes back to his knees.

Thalia let out a small sound of sadness. This reminded Nico how many lives Elsa had touched. She'd made an impression on more people than most might have thought. He never wanted her story to be forgotten. She didn't die, according to the gods, after giving up. She died sacrificing herself so that others could be safe from Khione and the Boreads. And she'd done something not even Aphrodite had seen before.

"Am I allowed…?" Thalia swallowed, and then continued. "Can I pull back the sheet?" Nico rose to his feet, nodding. He pulled it back for her. Thalia sucked in her breath upon seeing just how lifeless Elsa looked. Nico practically stumbled back to his chair, and plopped down.

"You knew her?" Percy asked.

"Yeah," Thalia's voice sounded distant. "We were visiting back in September. Um… She froze over the camp and ran away, and I was one of the people who volunteered to go get her. She was only thirteen back then. But… Her powers… They were so… amazing. I'd never seen anything like it." Thalia wasn't looking at either of them, her eyes cast down at Elsa's face. "And… Nico, I'm sorry if this sounds egotistical and disrespectful… but… I think she might have had a crush on me."

"I'm pretty sure she did." Nico confirmed, smiling sadly. Thalia managed to raise the corners of her mouth, remembering her interactions with Elsa.

"Wait…" Percy cut in. "Does this mean that Elsa was a lesbian?"

"She never expressed interest in boys, so I think she might have been." Nico replied.

"Problem?" Thalia turned to Percy, arms crossed over her chest.

"No!" Percy's eyes widened. "I was just… I…"

"Don't worry about it." Nico assured him. "That reminds me… It should probably be known. That Elsa liked girls, I mean. Some demigods… They might be going through that. It's… It's important for them to know that they aren't alone." Percy got up to rub Nico's shoulder.

"I just remembered that Annabeth asked me to tell you that the Hephaestus cabin is trying really hard to build the perfect resting place and memorial for her." Percy told Nico softly. "We had Rachel make the design for it. Annabeth is making sure that it's good, architecturally."

"I trust her design." Nico decided.

"You don't want to see it first?" Percy asked. "They haven't started designing it yet. Just cutting the marble to form her… Sarcophagus, I think they decided on." Nico brought himself to meet Percy's eyes.

"I trust Rachel's design." He said softly. "Look at what she painted." He gestured at the canvas against the wall. The picture part was facing the wall, for Nico needed more time before looking at Elsa alive. Percy turned it around.

"Wow," He muttered.

"She had dreams about me and Elsa." Nico explained. "That's how Rachel knows what Elsa looked like alive. As I've said… I trust her to design everything." He tried to force a smile, though it came out as a grimace.

"I'm going to go say hi to Annabeth and Jason." Thalia, decided, leaving the room. She covered Elsa's body back up before going, however. Nico stood up, and pulled the sheet back, sitting on the edge of the bed. He gazed down at Elsa's face. He cupped her cheek with his hand, and ran his thumb along her cheekbone. Percy was silent. Nico felt his eyes tearing up again.

"You know what kills me?" Nico asked Percy, his voice shaking. The other boy was silent, placing the canvas against the wall. He was watching Nico, whose gaze did not move from Elsa's face. "I… I never got to say goodbye." Nico's voice cracked, and the tears spilled down his cheeks. "I forgot about her. I… I forgot Elsa. She… Because of me… She died alone. I loved her a lot… and I repay her by not being there for her."

"That wasn't your fault, Nico." Percy stated calmly. "From what I understand, there was no way for you to prevent Elsa being taken. And then you lost all of your memories involving her, so there was no way for you to get to her. That was all Khione, Nico. You couldn't have gone against any of it. Believe me; I've had my memories taken by a goddess before. There was literally nothing you could have done. Anyway, Elsa… She sacrificed herself for something she clearly believed in. I don't think she'd want you to beat yourself up over all of this." Nico wiped away some tears, but more took their place.

"But still… She died alone." He whispered.

"Nico…" Percy sighed. "Yeah, she died alone, and it's really sad. But then again… So many good people die alone, and usually, there isn't anything we can do about it, you know? Just… remember her, I guess."

The next few days, Nico barely got a moment alone, between mainly Percy, Hazel, Thalia, and Clarisse coming in and looking after him. Jason, Will, and Reyna checked on him from time to time. Rachel came in once or twice. As did Annabeth. She tried to give him a report on the resting place and memorial they were creating for Elsa, but frankly, Nico wasn't interested. He didn't really care that much. Annabeth didn't try that much after that. She just basically gave him on updates on how close to finishing they were. She explained that all of them were working really hard, but they needed more time. Nico just nodded; only half listening.

He now had what was essentially a bed. It was a few chairs pushed together, with a pillow, and blanket, courtesy of Hazel who had insisted upon it. He'd fallen out of it and onto the ground before, but he didn't care that much.

Eventually, Nico was finally coaxed by Hazel to shower and change his clothes. Nico did admit to himself that he felt better after having paid some attention to his personal hygiene. That night, he'd lain on the bed next to Elsa, under the sheet with her. Luckily, nobody had walked in on that, as they'd all gone to bed at this point. Nico thanked the gods for that.

He'd fallen into a routine. Wake up, greet Elsa, maybe talk to her over breakfast, go to the bathroom, and then alternate with staring at her uncovered or covered body, talk with whoever came in to take care of or check on him, treat Elsa as if she were still alive, or cry. Throw in a lunch break, and then go to the bathroom, eat dinner and go to bed. Nico cried every day.

The people who were best at coaxing him to do things were Hazel and Percy. Eventually, Reyna stepped up and began coming to see him more often, strengthening their new friendship. She didn't attempt to get him to do things, but she opened the curtains, offered him food or drinks, replaced his supply of Kleenex, and took out the trash. She often did all of this silently and businesslike, which Nico was grateful for.

He was grateful for everyone who tolerated him. To be honest, Nico wished he could express this to them, but he could barely get the motivation to shower, much less show them how much this meant to him. He promised himself that he'd one day express his gratitude. One day…

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 **A/N: Feel free to leave a review. I have to go to a funeral tomorrow, so... Please?**


	8. Chapter 8

A couple of weeks had passed since Elsa's death and the defeat of Gaea. Hazel had volunteered to stay at Camp Half-Blood, until Nico was steady and able to take care of himself again. He'd heard Reyna and Hazel talking while he was asleep though, saying that for the time being, Hazel would be Ambassador, as well as Jason and Percy, but that they hoped Nico could take over when he was ready to. Nico hoped that he could fulfill their hopes.

One day, Annabeth burst into the room, grinning from ear to ear, while Hazel sat with Nico. Reyna stood in the corner quietly. She was hanging back for a little while.

"They're done!" She exclaimed. "Elsa's final resting place and memorial—they're finished!" Nico's eyes widened, and he unconsciously squeezed Hazel's hand, which he was holding.

"That's great!" Hazel said, before catching sight of Nico's face, which was grave.

"Congratulations!" Reyna added, smiling at Annabeth.

"Um, we'll be over soon to go check them out, okay?" Hazel glanced back over at Nico. Annabeth nodded, not noticing Nico's reaction, and quickly leaving, no doubt to look over the things she'd helped to design once more, before they came. "Nico, talk to me. Tell me what's wrong." Hazel pleaded.

"I… I don't want to bury Elsa." Nico confessed.

"Why?" Hazel asked softly.

"I… I still kiss her forehead." He sighed. "I hug her."

"Oh," Hazel said.

"Nico…" Reyna cut in. "I wish this weren't true, but… You've got to let her go so that she can rest peacefully, you know that right? I don't think she'd want her body to just lie in the guest room of the big house, taking up space, and have you just sitting in here. Elsa loved you a lot. She wouldn't want you to waste your life grieving over her, away from everyone and everything. She'd want you to go out live your life." Nico was silent for a moment, and turned towards Reyna, fresh tears streaking down his cheeks.

"She won't be forgotten?"

"Never. Her story will be told at Camp Jupiter." Reyna promised. "I have no control over whether or not her story will be told at Camp Half-Blood, but she will have a memorial here, so she won't be as likely to be forgotten." Nico's lips fell into a faint smile. Reyna handed him a box of tissues. "Now, go. I'll watch over her. I won't let anything happen to Elsa. Go look at her memorial and final resting place." She smiled at Nico. Hazel squeezed his hand. The two stood up. Nico stumbled slightly, as he hadn't stood up in a while. Hazel let him gain his footing, and the two slowly left the room.

The air of the Big House smelled strange and foreign to Nico. Hazel slowly guided him out to the porch and into the sunlight. He squinted, as it was bright outside. He inhaled the outside air. It smelled so fresh…

The brother and sister slowly moved towards the forges. They got a couple of looks, but Hazel shot them glares that made them back off. Nico's head was bowed, so he didn't notice.

When they made it to the forges, Annabeth greeted them, and guided them over to a white marble sarcophagus. On the sides, it depicted scenes of Elsa. Her battling Khione both the first and last times, her building her ice palace, Nico coming to find her, the two running away together… It told her story. And it was done in good detail as well. On the top, on the center, was a light blue glass snowflake inlaid into the marble, with a small heart shaped diamond in the direct center of the snowflake. Nico immediately recognized snowflake from design on the floor of Elsa's ice palace.

Annabeth explained that the sarcophagus was completely weather proof, including lighting and tornado. It wouldn't let a single drop of water in, once it was sealed. It was magical. Its temperature would stay constant inside.

There would be a small marble pedestal with a placcard, saying who she was, when she was born, when she died, and what she'd done.

Nico was pleasantly shocked when he found out that they were making a sculpture and putting it on top of the hill, where Elsa's palace had once stood. The people at this camp… Even though they had not known Elsa very well (if at all), wanted her to be remembered. They wanted everybody to know what she had gone through, and died doing. They wanted her amazing abilities to be remembered.

Rachel offered to show him sketches of the sculpture, but Nico shook his head. His eyes were too full of tears to be able to look at anything very well at the moment.

"We're going to put her by Thalia's pine tree, if you don't mind." Annabeth explained. "We asked Thalia, and she said that she'd like that." Nico nodded.

"Yeah. I'm fine with that." He said, his voice strained, trying to not to let out any sobs. Hazel rubbed his back. "In fact… I… Thank you… For everything. It means so much to me." Nico let out a loud sob, his voice cracking. Hazel gathered Nico into a hug. As he stood there, hugging his sister back while being hugged by her, for the first time, Nico was crying tears of gratitude.

* * *

"Here, wear this." Hazel had coaxed Nico into the Hades Cabin to get ready for Elsa's funeral. Piper had leant Hazel a black dress. They had procured nice black clothing for Nico. She handed him a black button down. She'd given him a pair of clean black jeans. Ones that were in good condition. She'd cleaned up his boots.

Nico sighed, nodding, as he put on the shirt and buttoned it. He looked in the mirror. He looked pale and tired.

"They're not going to bury her before I say my final goodbye, are they?" He asked.

"No, they won't." Hazel assured him. "I made sure of this. You can say your final goodbye to Elsa. But you can still talk to her once she's in her final resting place." Nico nodded.

"D'you think they'd move her if the gods moved?" Nico asked, worried.

"I don't know." Hazel shrugged. "You'd have to ask Chiron."

He sighed again, and picked up a comb, trying to neaten his hair. He managed to get it to the point where clearly much effort had gone into getting it to this point. He let out a frustrated noise. Hazel sighed, sad to see her brother like this. She wished Elsa hadn't died. She almost wished that she could have stayed dead in order for Elsa to live. Clearly Elsa was more of a sister to Nico than she was. He needed Elsa, not Hazel. But then she remembered all that she'd done and needed to do in order to save the world. Hazel retracted her wish, just wanting Nico to have all of his sisters. Or at least Elsa. She'd gotten the hint that Elsa and Nico's love for each other was something powerful and amazing. Hazel just wanted him to be happy. She wasn't sure if she'd ever really seen him happy. With this realization, her heart sunk.

"Elsa wouldn't mind if your hair is messy for her funeral." Hazel reminded him softly. Nico turned around to face her, his eyes full of tears.

"I mind." Nico stated, his voice flat. "I… I want…" He stopped. The tears spilled over, making their way down his cheeks. His breathing turned to sobs. "I just want Elsa to come back."

"Oh," Hazel whispered, quickly coming over to hug Nico. It broke her heart to see Nico like this. "I know you do." She soothed. "I wish I could do something, but I can't. I wish I could, but I… I can't." Hazel began to tear up, herself.

* * *

Nico stood in front of the door of the bedroom where Elsa's body still lay. Piper had made sure Elsa looked perfect for her burial, but not changing much. She'd told Nico that she'd only smoothed Elsa's hair, and basically little things like that.

He lifted his hand, and let it rest on the doorknob. He took a breath, and then tightened his grip on it, turning the doorknob. Nico slowly opened the door. Elsa lay on the bed, uncovered. He closed the door behind himself, and just looked at her.

The most amazing girl Nico had ever met… The one whom he wished were related to him… The one he'd wished were his twin…

She was dead. Elsa was dead. She was gone forever.

And this was the last day that he'd see her face in person. He began doing his best to memorize all of her features.

Nico had needed a sibling when he met her. Elsa needed a sibling when she met him. And in her, he found a friend, and then sister. In him, she found a friend, and then brother. They'd gotten what they needed. But now… Nico needed his sister Elsa again. He did have Hazel, but it wasn't the same. He and Elsa had gone through hell together. And now… Elsa was just in his memories.

Sure; he'd have paintings of her, but all of those were just depictions of memories of Elsa.

He stepped over to the bedside. Nico didn't even realize that he was crying until his vision blurred. He knelt down next to her.

"Goodbye, Elsa." He whispered, his voice wavering. "Thank you for being my best friend and sister. I wish that I'd been able to save you. I wish that you were here at Camp, with me. I miss you so much. I'm so proud of you. You were so powerful and amazing. You might not have saved Olympus, but you did kill three immortals using just the power of love. The love you held for me. I… I don't know what else to say, Elsa, except that I love you, and that you'll always be my sister in my heart." Nico placed a kiss on her forehead. He had a foolish hope that she'd wake up, but she didn't. He knew that she wouldn't.

* * *

 **A/N: So, did you like that reference to that one chapter of GKSQ where Nico gives Elsa the ring, and he thinks she's dead, and then wakes up? I feel kind of cruel for reminding you of that, especially because Elsa won't wake up here, no matter how much we all want her to. (I do care about and love Elsa.)**

 **Anyway, feel free to tell me what you think by leaving a review. It really means a lot, you know.**


	9. Chapter 9

A flat piece of ground had been dug into Half-Blood Hill; inside of the camp. Elsa's sarcophagus was placed on the flat piece of ground, only a couple of meters away from Thalia's pine tree. The sides of the sarcophagus were visible though, to show what she had done. The marble pedestal was a couple of feet away from the tree, which had the Golden Fleece hanging off the branches. Peleus the dragon was dismissed for the day. The lid of the sarcophagus was sitting on the ground, next to the actual thing, which was open. Inside was a pale blue satin pillow, and white satin embroidered with snowflakes in different shades of blue covering the bottom of the sarcophagus. It was like a bed. Nico wished that she were only sleeping so much that it hurt.

So many campers had come to pay their respects. This was optional for everyone. But there were more people clad in black than Nico could count, many of them holding flowers. The majority of the flowers were blue and/or white.

Nico was carrying Elsa's body to the sarcophagus; her final resting place. Everybody made way for him. Hazel was close by Nico. When he reached the sarcophagus, her carefully lowered her inside. He made sure that she was in an acceptable position. Lying flat with her hands placed on her stomach… He fixed her dress so that it wasn't willy-nilly. He moved her braid over her shoulder. Nico gazed down at her face before Hazel placed a hand on his shoulder, silently coaxing him away. He allowed her to move him back a few feet. Chiron cleared his throat.

"Campers, we are gathered to celebrate the life and mourn the death of Elsa, daughter of Khione and princess Arendelle." Chiron announced. "Beloved daughter to her adopted mother, and beloved sister to her sister Anna, and her good friend Nico di Angelo." Hazel rubbed circles into Nico's back. "She grew up as the crown princess of her small kingdom. Unfortunately, she was never able to claim her birthright. From age eight forward, she was isolated from her sister; Anna. Anna never truly gave up on Elsa." Nico remembered how Anna would knock on the door when he was there, and beg Elsa to come out, speaking Norwegian, and how Elsa would (with a heavy heart) reject her and tell her to go away, also in Norwegian. "When she was twelve, Elsa met Nico di Angelo. Lonely, Elsa and Nico bonded." Nico closed his eyes, remembering how Elsa had offered him to eat with her. He'd accepted. "The two became good friends. He'd secretly visit her." All of those times… Shadow-traveling to that closet of childhood things belong to Elsa… "Eventually, they began to love each other like siblings, though they didn't realize it at first. As some might know, platonic love isn't as noticeable as romantic love, despite it being stronger, unless it is stronger than most." At this, Nico lifted his head, and just looked at Chiron, confused, while he went on to talk about the things that Nico and Elsa had gone through. This speech made all of his memories resurface, though he was mainly contemplating what Chiron had said about platonic love usually not being as noticeable as romantic love, even though it was stronger.

Hazel kept an arm around Nico, doing her best to comfort him. He didn't even notice when he started crying. She rubbed his arm again, feeling useless, as she didn't know what else to do. Hazel didn't know how to make him feel better.

When Chiron finished describing Elsa's life, highlighting the struggles she went through, the challenges she made and the sacrifices she made.

Nico was standing right in front of the marble pedestal saying who she was, when she was born, when she died, and… Her last words. His lips trembled. Who knew that the three words could have such an effect on him? But he did know. Elsa had given up all of the love in her heart in order to stop Khione and the Boreads. And now she was dead. Gone, forever.

"Nico," Chiron called the son of Hades forward. He, as if on autopilot, stepped away from Hazel. "You may place this dagger with her." Nico was handed the dagger he'd given Elsa on her thirteenth birthday. His lips trembled and he released another round of tears. She'd never used it, but she'd kept it. He couldn't help but wonder how the battle might have gone, had she used it and the army of the undead that would have arisen. Would she have gotten out alive? Nico pushed that thought out of his head. There was no use in wonder what might have been, had this or that happened instead. Nico didn't know exactly what had happened. For now, there was no way of knowing what did happen.

He approached the side of the sarcophagus again, and placed the dagger handle (the blade pointing towards her feet) under her hands. He curled her fingers around it, as if Elsa's corpse would need it to protect her.

Nico looked over at Chiron, who held out a bouquet of different blue and white flowers. Nico recognized a sprig of blue forget-me-nots, a pure white rose, a white carnation, a white daisy, a dark blue rose, and several snowdrops. The bouquet was small, and Nico got the message that he was to place it in Elsa's hands as well. He put it in the hand that wasn't holding on the dagger; on top of it. A shroud was brought out. Clarisse and Thalia were called forward as well, since they were the ones who had gone on that quest; up that mountain, and had been there when Elsa was kidnapped by Khione.

The shroud was dark blue satin. Embroidered on it were small white snowflakes, as well as the Arendellian crown (multiple times). Above her head was the tiara that she'd created. Over her heart was a white heart, with pale ice blue woven here and there. Above her hands was the palace that she had created.

Clarisse and Thalia were each given one end of the shroud. They stretched it out. Nico pleaded at them with his eyes. They waited patiently, not judging him. Nico kissed his fingertips, tears falling from his eyes, and placed them on her forehead.

"Goodbye Elsa." He croaked. His voice was lost in the wind. " _Mi sorella."_ Hazel wrapped her arms around him; pulling him back, and he rested his head against her, crying into her. She didn't react, just rocking her half-brother from side to side, kissing his hair, tears in her eyes.

Clarisse and Thalia lifted the lid of the white marble sarcophagus off the ground. They, slowly and with care, placed it on top of the bottom portion. It magically sealed, once placed correctly, showing the intent of it never being opened again. Everyone bowed their heads in respect for the young demigod who fought just to be free, but never fully accomplished it. She was free now. She was safe.

Slowly, in small groups, the campers began to leave, though Nico, Hazel, Clarisse, and Thalia stayed. Chiron stood near them. Once it was just the five of them, Chiron spoke up.

"I wish I'd been able to get to know her." He sighed. "She was capable of so much, from what I heard. It is truly unfortunate and a tragedy that she died so young, not having been able to live up to her full potential." Sensing that the four demigods needed time alone, he left after saying that.

Only two of the four demigods knew each other very well, for they were brother and sister, despite the other two having gone on a quest with Nico.

Hazel looked around, and quickly saw that she was the odd one out; she'd never met Elsa, or seen her alive. She felt slightly awkward in this small group of people who actually knew her, and had Elsa touch their life.

"Nico," She murmured. "I'll be back at the cabin, okay? You can come there when you're ready." She rubbed his back once more, and released him. She quickly gave him a kiss on the cheek before leaving.

Nico sank to his knees, his shoulder shaking from the intensity of his sobs. His eyes were waterfalls of tears. Neither Thalia nor Clarisse was crying as hard as he was, but they understood the fact that he had known Elsa longer. He'd known her best. And he was the one who missed her the most. He was the one who felt most guilt. Yes, Thalia and Clarisse replayed the scenario in their heads, trying to figure out what they could have done differently in order to save Elsa and ultimately prevent her death, but Nico replayed the scenario more than they did. He thought of his memories, desperate to hold onto every second of his memories that had Elsa in them. He never wanted to forget her again. However, when he replayed when Khione took Elsa in his head, it hurt the most because he knew that there was absolutely nothing he could have done to prevent Khione from kidnapping her. It killed him on the inside, admitting this to himself.

Eventually, Clarisse and Thalia left; giving Nico some privacy. He, upon seeing that he was alone, rose to his feet and slumped over the sarcophagus, and continued crying on it.

"I miss you, Elsa." He choked out through his sobs. "How am I supposed to go through life without you? You're my sister. You understand me. Only you truly know and everything that's happened to me. I love you Elsa. I… I need you." He cried on her sarcophagus for a little while longer, before summoning the strength to go back to the Hades cabin.

When Nico walked away, he didn't notice that on her sarcophagus appeared a bouquet of snowdrops, secured together with a black ribbon.

* * *

 **A/N: This is NOT the end. We still have eight chapters to go. We're gonna change gears for the next few chapters.**

 **Please leave your reactions/thoughts/praise in the little review box below. I LOVE to know what you think.**


	10. Chapter 10

Elsa was in some place brightly lit with grey walls. There was a desk, with a large man at it. There was soft music playing in the background. There were potted plants in the corners, and many people seemingly waiting. None of them moved. Elsa gulped. She was scared; she'd admit that.

She stepped up to the front desk, looking up at the man. He had brown skin, but hair as light as Elsa's own. His eyes were covered with dark glasses. He wore a suit unlike any suit Elsa had ever seen before, and there was a black rose pinned to it. She knew for a fact that black roses symbolized death. Once, she'd attended her grandfather's funeral when she was very small. She'd been given a rose dipped in black wax to hold.

She looked at the nametag for a moment, carefully trying to translate it in her head, and figure out who the man was.

"Yes?" He said after a moment. "May I help you, young dead one?" He had an accent too.

"You are Charon, sir?" She asked after a second.

"Yes, I am." Charon answered, sounding bored.

"I believe that I have died." Elsa swallowed. "And I… I want to get into the Underworld."

"What, no begging to go back? No pleading that there must be a mistake?" Charon raised an eyebrow.

"I…" Elsa paused. She looked down. "I suppose that didn't really _want_ to die, but I don't regret _how_ I died. But… Death… Unless you are immortal, it is inevitable. Death… Seems… Welcome, I suppose, after what I've been through. I'll be alright forever. I don't have to be afraid ever again. I did leave a few important people behind, and I am sad about that. But I'm completely free now." Charon smiled a cold smile.

"I wish all young people were like you." He commented. "How old were you?"

"Fourteen."

"Wise for your age. Now, do you have payment?" Elsa was confused for a second.

"To get into the Underworld?" Charon nodded at this. She thought quickly, and then noticed that she still had the dagger Nico had given her, gripped in her hand. "How is this?" She reluctantly placed the dagger on the desk. "Stygian ice. If stabbed into the ground, it raises an army of the undead. It only works once, and for a limited amount of time though." She informed him.

"Where did you get this?" He inquired coolly. "Are you a demigod?" Elsa nodded.

"Daughter of Khione." She said softly.

"How. Did. You. Get. This?" He asked slowly, his voice low. "Did you make it?" Elsa shook her head. "Tell me how you got this." He snarled. Elsa shrunk away, her eyes wide with fear.

"I… I… My best friend… I consider him my brother, actually. Um… he gave it to me for my thirteenth birthday." She explained quickly, tripping over her words.

"Who is your friend?" He hissed.

"Nico di Angelo, son of Hades." Elsa said, with realization. Maybe knowing Nico could help her get into the Underworld. Charon was silent for a moment.

"Are you lying?" He asked coolly.

"Why would I lie?" She asked innocently. "I am not lying. Nico and I have gone to hell and back together. We were separated from each other, but not by choice. Hades would know that I'm not lying. This ring belonged to his mother." Elsa showed the silver ring with the angel wings. "I know this is an unrelated topic, but I died killing three immortals just using the platonic love in my heart." She let that sink in. "I'd like to get into the Underworld, please." Charon took the dagger, and gave Elsa a green boarding pass. He opened two silver doors and ushered her into some sort of box, here there were more spirits, holding green boarding passes like Elsa's. The tiny room was half full. Some spirits in the waiting room tried to grab at her, and Charon batted them away. Elsa realized that they had no payment, and she felt badly for them.

"Wait here with the others. We'll go once it's full." Charon ordered. Elsa nodded, looking down.

It felt like Elsa waited for a long time in there, but she couldn't be sure. There was no clock, so there was no way of knowing exactly how long she'd been waiting.

More people came in. A lot of them looked like demigods. There were already some in there already. She just hadn't paid any attention to them. They wore orange or purple T-shirts under battle armor, and wounds could be seen via the chinks in the armor. Elsa was saddened upon seeing that so many demigods had died. She wondered how they were dying. Were they fighting against Gaea? They had to be. She hoped that they were doing well and winning. There was no way of knowing for sure. She wished there was.

Eventually, Charon got into the room with them again. He pulled out a card and inserted it into as slot. Then they began to descend. Elsa was scared for a moment, but then she remembered that she had lived a life that didn't hurt anyone, except Khione and the Boreads. She'd done her best to be a good person.

Then, they began moving forward. Everyone's clothes turned to hooded robes, including Elsa's. Charon was now wearing a black robe, and his glasses were gone; revealing darkness where his eyes should have been. They were suddenly all on a wooden boat, and around them appeared the River Styx. It was polluted with old belongings. The other side of the river glowed green. Soon, Elsa saw rocks and black sand… The Underworld wasn't very nice looking, not that she'd expected it to be. She just… Hadn't been expecting it to be like this. Actually, Elsa hadn't known _what_ she was expecting. The only taste of the Underworld that she'd ever gotten was from the time Khione froze her head.

When they reached the other side and got off, there were three lines. Each had a sign. One said E-Z Death, and it moved very quickly. Exactly what Nico told her to avoid. The other two were marked 'Attendant On Duty'. Those two lines moved slowly. Despite this, Elsa chose the one that looked like it had fewer people.

At the front of the line, the three judges wore black robes and gold masks.

"Elsa Agdarsdotter." One said.

"Also called Elsa Arendelle." The one in the middle said.

"I prefer Elsa Arendelle." Elsa requested politely.

"Daughter of Khione and King Agdar of Arendelle."

"Neither Khione nor Agdar loved me as their daughter." She informed them softly. "Only Idunn loved me. Therefore, I am Elsa Arendelle." They looked into her life after that statement.

"Had you won the battle against your mother, you could have become the goddess of ice and snow, replacing her." Elsa lifted her head.

"What?" She was shown an image of herself being crowned with a diadem composed of crystal snowflakes, and then one made of many small crystals forming snowflake shapes. In the second one, she was far older.

"You could have found your soulmate in a girl with a frozen heart. Not frozen like yours, but frozen by choice, due to heartbreak." Elsa saw herself smiling at someone as if they were the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen, and like they were the one thing she loved most. She wore a veil in her hair, and was clutching a bouquet of crystal flowers. She was also older in this image.

"You missed out on these because your battle did not go well."

"But you killed three immortals that were against the gods, using only the power of love."

"You have helped to save Olympus."

"Wait!" A girl's voice called out. It was familiar to Elsa.

"Bianca?" Elsa gasped; turning and seeing the daughter of Hades running over. Well, her spirit, anyway.

"I heard that you'd died." Bianca explained. "And I told my father. He knew. He'd been keeping tabs on you, ever since your head was frozen. He… He wants to see you." Elsa's eyes widened. Bianca took her hand. "Come along, Elsa. The Furies will bring us there." Elsa was stunned. She didn't speak as the Furies carried the two of them to Hades' palace. She was stunned.

Elsa could have been a goddess. She could have found love with a girl. So many possibilities… Her life was cut short… But for a good cause.

"Bianca?" She asked softly.

"Yes, Elsa?"

"I could have been a goddess." She whimpered. "I could have met my soulmate…"

"Oh…" Bianca sighed. "I'm sorry, Elsa." Elsa realized that she was being whiny and self-centered. Bianca had died young as well.

"No, I'm sorry." Elsa sighed. "I'm sorry, Bianca. I didn't mean to whine when you died young as well."

"It's alright." The other girl assured her. "I've had more time to get used to the idea, think of all of the possibilities, and mourn them." She smiled sympathetically at the daughter of Khione.

Soon, the two were placed in front of the huge bronze gates, which were open. Bianca took Elsa's hand and led her inside, past the garden, and guards. Clearly, Bianca had been there before.

In the throne room, Hades sat, waiting for them. He was huge, sitting at his throne. He did not look especially happy or friendly.

Elsa tensed, but Bianca smiled, urging her forward.

"Father," She said, looking up at the god of the Underworld. "This is Elsa." She gently pushed Elsa forward, releasing her hand. Hades stood up, and shrunk down to human size, stepping towards both of them.

"Lord Hades." Elsa curtseyed, bowing her head down and drawing her skirts out. (Her dress, sandals, and everything had come back. She was glad.)

"Elsa…" Hades addressed her. She prayed that he wouldn't say Agdarsdotter. "Arendelle." A smile of relief found its way onto her face. "I know of everything that happened to you since you were trapped between life and death. I know of your friendship with my son. I saw you defeat your mother and uncles. I must say I found it impressive." Elsa smiled wider, hope lighting up her eyes. She didn't know what she felt hope for, but she knew that she had hope that this would go well. She was meeting her best friend's father for the first time.

"Thank you, Lord Hades." Elsa said.

"I would like to personally inform you that you have achieved Elysium." Hades told her. Elsa's smile stretched wider. "However, Bianca has requested that you be her friend and companion. This will entail you being able to go to different parts of the Underworld with her, though only when I allow it. You shall be my daughter's company for however long she wants you, understand?" Elsa nodded.

"Thank you, so much." She curtsied again.

"Come along Elsa." Bianca said, taking her hand. "We're going to Elysium."

* * *

 **A/N: Elsa's last name was found through a tumblr post, when I googled 'Elsa and Anna's last name'.**

 **Review.**


	11. Chapter 11

Elsa and Bianca were now living together in a castle-style house in Elysium. It was in the same neighborhood as Zoe Nightshade, as it turned out.

At first, it was saddening to see all of the people who had died young, albeit them dying heroes. But everyone was happy in Elysium.

Elsa and Bianca started a garden together. They met and talked to other demigods in their neighborhood.

When they grew weary of gardening or interacting with others in the neighborhood, the girls would go into their house and talk, or spend time alone. They had a library in there, mainly for Elsa, but there were books with mainly pictures for Bianca, as she had minor dyslexia and didn't really like reading all that much.

The two learned cooking together. Bianca liked learning to make Italian food, while Elsa loved making Norwegian or just Scandinavian dishes in general. She eventually explained to Bianca that it made her feel normal, being able to do things that she was told were only for commoners. She wanted to cook and clean. She didn't want to be put up on a pedestal that she hadn't earned. If she were to be put up on a pedestal like that, she would want to have earned it. Being born into a royal family was not earning the title. Her father didn't even love her.

The joke was on him, now. Elsa was in Elysium, which he would never achieve. She was happy, and had people around her who actually cared about her, and in Bianca's case, loved her. And that, in her opinion, was the biggest way of freeing herself.

Elsa and Bianca would sometimes go to each other's bedrooms to sit and just talk. They'd talk about the things they'd done, and wished they could do. Dreams from when they were small that could never come true. Sometimes, these wistful conversations would end in tears, and sometimes they'd end in the two smiling and laughing. If they ended up crying, they'd comfort each other.

Their conversations didn't usually go to Nico, because it was painful for both of them. They'd left him without a sister figure. Both sister figures he'd had were now dead. Elsa didn't like to talk about Anna either. That was painful too. Elsa had just one day left her younger sister, who probably didn't even know if Elsa was dead or alive.

Neither of them really had any power in Elysium; Elsa certainly didn't. Bianca could make any spirit obey her if she ordered it to do something, but she wouldn't do that. She wasn't like that.

Sleeping was nonexistent in the afterlife. Both girls did have beds in their rooms, but they were more for lounging around on than anything. Elsa liked to lie on hers while she read. Beds were good places just sit and talk as well.

Death turned into one long relaxation for both girls, where they weren't pressured to do anything. They were free to do whatever they liked.

"You know," Elsa commented in the garden at one point. "This is almost like when I was in my room when I was younger. I'd read, and lounge around. Except this is better, because it's like going to bed after a very long and difficult day. I can leave too. I can go see other people here. And I have you to keep me company." Bianca smiled.

"Nico and I… We had the Lotus Hotel and Casino." She replied. "This is a little like that, but it's more peaceful. I do like this better."

"Have you ever thought about reincarnation?" Elsa asked. Bianca nodded.

"Less so, now that I have you for company." She explained. "I think I'll just wait for Nico, and then we'll all be together." Both of them knew that their mothers (in Elsa's case, the queen of Arendelle) would not be joining them, nor would their fathers. Anna most likely would not come to join them. Nico would. In his life, he'd done so much to save Olympus; therefore he should be admitted to Elysium. Hopefully only after a good, long life though. And a happy one at that.

"We do have all of eternity to decide on whether or not we want to reincarnate." Elsa shrugged. "Frankly, if the life I lived was what it took to gain Elysium; not thank you." She shook her head, thinking back on all that she'd had to endure. Bianca laughed.

"And here I died of electrocution." She said, nudging Elsa. "You're more of a hero than I am." She joked.

"What you were doing was brave." Elsa protested. "You were saving your friends from the automaton. That's heroic enough for me." The two smiled at each other. Bianca's smile was more grateful, and relived, while Elsa's was softer and fainter.

"Thank you. I sometimes doubt myself, and wonder if what I did was really heroic." Bianca confessed.

"I killed three immortals all at once using the power of the love in my heart. It's not very easy to live up to or top that." Elsa said, grinning. Bianca laughed.

"I wish that we could have met while we were both still living." Bianca sighed, a smile still on her face.

"Well, Nico and I wouldn't have met, had you not died, much less you and I." Elsa reminded her. "It just wasn't meant to be—us meeting while we were still living, that is."

"I'm glad we were able to meet at all then, even though we had to meet in death." Bianca shrugged. "Meeting when one of us is dead is better than not meeting at all."

"I am glad that you are here for me in death." Elsa commented. She paused. "How long have I been dead?"

"Frankly, there's no way of knowing." Bianca sighed. "I guess that's part of being dead. Time is nothing, now." She looked down, loose hairs falling into her face. Elsa moved the hairs out of her face, tucking them behind her ear.

"We have nowhere to be, now." Elsa reminded her. "We're free from everything now."

"Is that why you consider death to be so nice?" Bianca asked.

"Yes." Elsa confessed. "I… I'm free now." She smiled faintly. It was kind of sad; her smile. "I'm happy, with someone who cares about me and loves me, and we are not living in fear that someone's going to try to make us unhappy, hurt us, or something like that. I'm free." Elsa began to cry through her smile.

"Oh," Bianca gasped, realizing how hard Elsa's life was on her. Usually, Elsa played it cool, and like it was no big deal, but this… She was actually showing how awful her life was. A hand quickly cupped Elsa's cheek; Bianca's thumb gently running along her cheek bone as she brushed away tears. "Hey, it's okay. You're safe now, Elsa. You're okay."

"I know." Elsa said, her smile widening, and looking up, though she still cried. "And I'm so relieved. Finally…"

* * *

Nico brought a flower to Elsa every day. He'd lay it on top of the sarcophagus, and then begin to talk to her. Everybody at camp knew not to interrupt this. It was an intimate and private moment. He was mourning someone who had been cruelly yanked from him, and he'd never gotten her back, or been able to say goodbye. Not when she was able to hear him say it, anyway.

Hazel was going to take several months to take care of Nico and help him through the grieving process. She needed to be there for him. He still desperately needed a sister, so she was going to be there for him. Frank understood. Reyna understood. They told her that she could pick up right where she left off when she came back. Nico was glad that he wouldn't be inconveniencing her too much. He already felt horrible about her taking time out of the legion.

One day, as Nico was talking to Elsa, Hazel went over to him, and waited until he was finished before speaking.

"Nico, you could still say goodbye to her, if you wanted." She suggested. "You could summon her spirit. You told me that you can do that, right?" Nico turned to look at Hazel. He looked so hopeless and lost… It broke her heart to see him like this.

"What if I can't see her?" He choked out. "What if she doesn't want to see me?"

"Why wouldn't Elsa want to see you?" Hazel sat down next to him. Her biological half-brother. "You're her brother. She didn't get to say goodbye to you either. The two of you loved each other a lot. I mean… She would probably want to say goodbye to you too. Just… Maybe try it? You know… Give both of you closure?"

Hazel ended up holding Nico in her arms as he cried into her shoulder, rocking him back and forth. She began to cry herself; not knowing what to do. She felt so lost. Hazel didn't know how to comfort Nico. She didn't know his full story. Just bits and pieces. She felt useless. But she kept on doing her best to comfort him.

"I-I'll try. I'm going to try to say goodbye to her." Nico whispered, after a while. "I'll try."


	12. Chapter 12

Elsa and Bianca were innocently sitting on Elsa's bed; in her room together. Elsa's room was fancier than Bianca's, with a lot of French styled furniture. Elsa's taste was more… Elegant than Bianca's, having grown up as a princess and heir to the throne. Her bed was a large and soft canopy bed, with dark blue curtains and bedding, with gold embroidery. They were eating cookies made by Elsa, talking, and laughing together. They shared stories from their lives that made them laugh.

"So, whenever our tutor wasn't looking," Elsa was saying, "I'd put ice in her tea, which would melt quickly, and so her tea would get colder, and she wouldn't know why. Sometimes, I'd just freeze it altogether, and then the whole teapot. She never had any idea what was going on, because she didn't know about my powers." Elsa burst into a fit of giggles. Bianca laughed right along with her.

"And she never figured it out?" Bianca asked.

"No, but Anna nearly gave it away too many times to count." Elsa answered, the effects of the laughter still lingering. "Our father figured out what was going on, and made us stay in our room for extended periods of time. It never did any good though. We'd just keep playing together in our room." She sighed happily; nostalgic for those simpler days. Where all she had were good memories. (Compared to what Elsa ended up with, anyway.)

Bianca's memories weren't really exactly bad. They were okay. Nothing particularly magnificent, but not much that was actually horrible. Elsa secretly envied that. She wished that she could have had a childhood that wasn't lonely. Bianca always had Nico. Elsa had to stay away from Anna for something that really wasn't her fault, now that she looked back on it. It was an accident, and everything turned out okay. Anna did have that light streak in her hair, but it was no big deal. She'd obviously turned out alright, especially if she could still run around the hallways of the Arendelle castle, and beg Elsa to come out and keep her company. She was probably safer, now that Elsa was gone and Khione was dead.

Anna was Elsa's biggest weakness, to be frank. She didn't mean seem callous, but when Khione was alive and dangerous, Nico could take care of himself. He could defend himself. Anna couldn't. Anna wouldn't know how. She was also the little sister Elsa grew up with. She had faint memories of meeting the newborn Anna the spring before she'd turned four years old. Her parents had forbade her from touching her baby sister, or putting her hands on the blanket she was swaddled in. But Elsa remembered feeling joy upon seeing that she had a new sister. Gerda had told her that her eyes had lit up with delight, and sparkled as she gazed down at her new sister. Eventually, Gerda had helped Elsa to be able to hold baby Anna in her arms. They were sitting down on a chair together, and Gerda was doing most of the work, but Elsa didn't care. To her, she felt like she was holding her baby sister.

"Do you have any memories of Nico as a baby?" Elsa asked.

"No," Bianca sighed. "We were two years apart in age. I was too young to remember him as a baby."

"Anna and I were three years apart." Elsa said softly. "I have a couple of memories of her as a baby."

"Does that make it harder for you? I mean…" Bianca paused. "Does that make it more painful? Remembering her?" She huffed, clearly frustrated with her words. "Is it more painful to remember her because you have all of those memories of when you were so young?"

"Yes, it is." Elsa sighed. "I will admit that it is. All of my memories with her… We were so young, so innocent, and everything was simple back then. Nothing was going to hurt us." She let out a bitter laugh. "I was wrong. My own birth mother… She is the reason I am dead. The woman by whom I came into this world…" Elsa's lips trembled. "She is the one who tried to hurt me, mainly."

"I'm so sorry." Bianca whispered. She took Elsa's hand. Because temperature wasn't an issue to them, as they were dead, they couldn't feel any difference between their hands. "My life was so painless, compared to yours. You were the sister that my brother needed. Thank you for taking care of him. I wish that we could have known each other when we were alive. I wish that neither of us had died young." She shook her head sadly. "But I wish that you, more than me, could have remained alive."

"Don't wish." Elsa shook her head. "I've heard it said that wishing only wounds the heart. Don't wish, now that everything's ended up the way it has, Bianca." The two sat there in silence, their hands joined.

"Why do they call this heaven, when our memories and lives are plaguing us?" Bianca whispered. "I… The only thing keeping this from being purgatory is you, Elsa." The blonde looked up to the raven haired girl. It was true that everyone else seemed happier. It seemed like the others weren't as concerned with everything that they had left behind.

"Perhaps we are anchoring each other down." Elsa murmured. "Am I what's making you unhappy, Bianca?" Before the daughter of Hades could respond, the daughter of Khione spoke up again. "Were you unhappy like this before I was here?"

"I just moved around blithely." Bianca protested. "I wasn't really happy. I was just… I was trapped here, putting on a mask of happiness because everyone else wanted to see it."

"I'm sorry." Elsa whispered, bowing her head. Bianca lifted Elsa's chin with her fingers, and leaned in, kissing the blonde. She was shocked for a moment, but kissed back. It was strange, having your first kiss only after you've died… Feeling and touching in the Underworld was nothing like it was when she was alive. If kissing someone was like this while she was dead (which was amazing, by the way), she couldn't even begin to imagine the feelings it would have brought, had she been alive. And then Elsa remembered that she was kissing Bianca, and pulled away. "Why?" She whispered.

"I'm sorry." Bianca bowed her head, and scooted away from Elsa. "I… I thought you felt the same way about me." The daughter of Hades was ashamed and embarrassed.

"I love you like a friend." Elsa said. "At least, I think so. I'm… I'm not sure." She looked distraught. "I didn't know you felt that way about me." She sighed, closing her eyes. "Bianca… I'm just very confused. I did like kissing you, but I just…" She let out a breath. "I don't know. I'm sorry, but I just… I need time."

"I understand." Bianca murmured. "I messed up. I just… The only thing we have is each other. And… I wanted to know what it felt like to be loved in that way by someone. Maybe that would make death less… Dull… Boring. I should have just told you how I was feeling. I'm so sorry, Elsa."

"Perhaps." Elsa mused. "But maybe it's better. Who knows?" She chuckled darkly. "We're dead." The dark smile faded from her face. Bianca saw this, and got up.

"I think I need some time alone." Bianca muttered. She got up and left the room, closing the door behind her, leaving Elsa alone. The daughter of Khione laid back on her bed, and squeezed her eyes shut. She covered her face with her hands.

"What did I do?" She whispered.

Frankly, Elsa hadn't gotten used to the idea of being… homosexual… She did have her crus on Thalia, and wanted to impress the attractive lieutenant, but she hadn't really thought about until now. Now that Bianca had kissed her.

Elsa thought about her life. Had she ever really wanted to marry a man? Well, she'd always wanted someone to truly love her, but she hadn't really fantasized about marrying some prince or king. She'd more wanted to rule Arendelle with Anna at her side. Perhaps this was the reason. Perhaps she _was_ homosexual.

She began to think about Bianca. Did she feel that way about the daughter of Hades? Elsa wasn't exactly sure.

Elsa needed to get out of there. There was awkwardness lingering in the air, and she just couldn't deal with it. She needed to get out of there. Perhaps she could go join one of the parties. Those seemed like they were always going. People were always enjoying themselves. Elsa mentally congratulated each and every one of them for that.

She wondered why she wasn't happy there, the way everyone else was. Could there be something wrong with her?

But then again… She supposed she had unfinished business. Things that mattered so much to her… Nico… Anna… They mattered a lot to Elsa. She hadn't been able to say goodbye, and she didn't know if they were okay.

Maybe the strength and capacity of Elsa's love was both a blessing and a curse. Maybe it extended into death, and she was stuck worrying about her siblings until they joined her in Elysium. (For Anna, that would be extremely difficult. She wasn't really extraordinary enough for the judges to consider her worthy of Elysium. As much as it pained Elsa to admit this to herself, she knew that it was true, and so she might never stop worrying about Anna. She wasn't worried about Nico though. She had faith that he'd make it to Elysium.)

Elsa sat up, and looked at herself in the full length mirror in her room. She was wearing the same thing as when she'd died. The things she'd taken from Khione, her necklace, and ring. She probably looked formal compared to everyone else, but she left her room anyway, and then the house she and Bianca shared. She walked down the streets of Elysium, looking for any sort of party—a distraction.

* * *

Nico lay in his bunk. Hazel was in the other half of the room, which was curtained off. This didn't bother him though. He was just glad that she was there for him. He knew that if he called her name out, she'd wake up and come to him.

He couldn't sleep. Nico was thinking about how he was going to summon Elsa's spirit. He wanted to, but he didn't want to, by the same token. He was afraid that it might be too much for him. He might do something like summon her spirit every day. Nico sighed quietly. He did need to do this; he knew that much. But was it a good idea? Frankly, he didn't really know. But he knew that he was still going to do it. He needed this. Perhaps it would allow him to have the closure he'd been working to achieve.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Okay, so school started on Wednesday. I forgot to update yesterday because I was tired and had shit to do at 5:30 AM, which involved me getting up at 4:45 AM, and I was about to pass out from exhaustion. So, to make life easier on me, Snowdrops will be updated on Fridays (... maybe...). Roses may or may not be moved to Sunday. IDK yet.**

* * *

Elsa attended every party she could find in Elysium, a smile painted on her face. She ate, drank, and danced. She, with longing, looked at the few couples that were in Elysium. Every single one she saw was composed of a boy and a girl.

She approached a beautiful girl and a large but handsome boy who slow danced together, their arms around each other. The dark skinned boy looked imposing at first, but he was smiling at the girl in his arms, love in his eyes. The girl smiled back up at him. She had light skin, black hair, and dark eyes. They were a beautiful couple who looked like they knew about love.

"Pardon," Elsa pleaded. The two stopped dancing, and turned to her. Their fingers laced together so that they were holding hands. The daughter of Khione was on the verge of tears. She was so confused… She just needed advice from someone who knew about love. Someone who didn't know who she was, and wouldn't judge her, who could give her advice on what to do. Perhaps they could help her sort out her feelings. Maybe talking to someone could help her to summon up the courage to go back and talk to Bianca.

In actuality though, she just wanted to have a breakthrough or something. Elsa couldn't go through her afterlife so unhappily. She wanted to be able to be happy, like everyone was. She did see that Bianca had picked up on her lack of happiness. And she felt guilty for that. There was no reason for Bianca to be miserable just because Elsa was. Maybe love could ease her out of this…

"Yes?" The girl asked, smiling at Elsa. The boy looked like he was scowling at Elsa. She ignored that.

"I… Are you a couple?" Elsa asked. They smiled at each other, and then nodded. "I need help with love."

"In the Underworld?" The boy said, looking slightly confused.

"Yes," She admitted. "She… A girl and I… We were just friends at first, and then she… She kissed me." Elsa looked at them, pleading in her eyes. "I don't know if I feel that way about her, and I don't know what to do." She let out a hopeless and defeated sigh.

"Well, for starters, do you _want_ to be with her romantically?" The boy asked.

"I don't know. That's my problem." Elsa bowed her head.

"How about this… Do you want to be with her, period?" The girl asked.

"Yes," Elsa said after a moment. "I do. I want to be around her."

"That's a good start." The girl nodded. "Did you like kissing her?" A shy smile found its way onto Elsa's face.

"Yes," She whispered. "I loved it."

"Do you want to kiss her again?" Elsa nodded. "Do you want to hold and hug her?" To this, Elsa nodded again. "Does she make you feel happy and just good in general?"

"She does." Elsa murmured.

"You might have romantic feelings for her." The girl told her. "It's hard to know for sure, because I don't know exactly what you're feeling. But it does sound like you might."

"Thank you for helping me." Elsa bobbed her head. "You've helped me to think straight."

"It's no bother." The girl replied. "What is your name?"

"Elsa." The daughter of Khione answered.

"I'm Silena." Silena introduced herself. "And this is my boyfriend. Everybody calls him Beckendorf." She smiled at him, and they kissed briefly.

"Thank you." Elsa said again before leaving the party. She slowly returned back to the house she and Bianca shared, as to give herself a chance to think. She reached a conclusion. Talking to Silena had helped her to get her thoughts straight, and help her begin to understand her feelings. It hadn't gotten her fully there, but she was okay now. It had given her the push she needed. Elsa had figured her feelings out.

Once she was at the door of the house, she paused before opening it. She was careful not to make any noise as she entered the house. She tiptoed up the stairs and to the left instead of the right. She hesitated at Bianca's door, her fist raised to knock on the door. She closed her eyes, and took a deep breath.

 _You can do this._ She thought to herself. _Just tell her that you feel the same way._

Elsa swallowed before knocking on the door. She'd never been on the outside of the door. She'd always been the one on the inside, rejecting the one who was always on the outside. Anna. Elsa hoped that Bianca wouldn't turn her away. She needed to tell Bianca her conclusion right then, because she might lose her nerve if she waited any longer to tell her.

"Bianca?" Elsa paused. "I have my answer." She heard the sound of someone moving around inside, and then the door opened, and Bianca stood in front of her. Elsa paused for a moment, just looking at the girl in front of her. It was true that Bianca was two years younger than her, but then again, it wasn't too horrible, because Bianca was much older than she looked, not counting the time that she had been dead. And two years wasn't really that big of a deal, especially in the Underworld.

Bianca was wearing her silver Hunter clothes, which were far more casual than Elsa's style. Both of them had a braid in their hair. The two girls just looked at each other for a moment.

"I received some advice from a spirit." She said softly. "She helped me to sort out my feelings, and figure out exactly how I feel about you." Bianca's dark brown eyes met Elsa's ice blue eyes, waiting for Elsa to give her answer. The daughter of Hades bit her lip during the pause. "Bianca, I think I feel the same way about you." The blonde murmured. She stepped forward, and soon the two girls were kissing. Bianca pulled away to accidentally let out a giggle. Elsa laughed at that, and connected them at the lips again.

The two went into Bianca's room, and laid on her bed together, side by side; holding hands. Their heads were turned so that they could look at each other.

"How did you realize that you feel the same way?" Bianca inquired quietly.

"I asked this one couple. The girl—Silena—asked me some guiding questions that helped me to realize that I do, in fact, have feelings for you." Elsa explained. Bianca smiled.

"So you did, and do. You just needed some prodding in order to realize it." She said, smiling at the blonde.

"Yes," Elsa chuckled. There was a happy silence after that, where they just looked at each other happily. They were all that the other had. It made sense. If someone is the only thing you have, you might fall in love with them.

"Are we each other's girlfriend?" Bianca asked, breaking the silence.

"If you want to be." Elsa replied, shrugging. "It doesn't faze me one way or another, to be honest. I'm just happy to have you at all."

"I want to be your girlfriend, and I want you to be mine." Bianca murmured after a few seconds.

"Then we will be." Elsa stated. Then, she kissed Bianca. Her girlfriend.

Because they were both dead, the two just lived together happily and harmoniously. They gave each other affection and love often. Elsa had finally found inner peace, though she still worried about Nico and Anna. But she didn't worry nearly as much. She had someone to focus her attention on now, as well as something. Bianca and their relationship.

The two went to parties together. They danced, hugged, and kissed, like all of the other couples. Nobody thought anything of it. They were in Elysium. Everybody was happy there. Even Elsa.

Elsa and Bianca's love was gentle and sweet. It was innocent, like first love usually was.

Sometimes, they'd lay together and hold each other, cuddling. Sometimes, Elsa would read to Bianca. Sometimes, they'd just dance together in their home, to music that only existed in their heads.

Their love only existed because of who their parents were. Bianca was a daughter of Hades, so her soul was more conscious and present than another person's would be. Elsa was a special case. She had died via her own love. When she died, love returned to her heart. She'd overcome the frozen heart without knowing it. So, the love that returned—both platonic and romantic—latched onto the three people for whom she cared the most; Nico, Anna, and Bianca. The romantic love latched onto Bianca. The platonic love went to Anna and Nico. Bianca was the only person to whom the romantic love could go, as Elsa thought of Nico and Anna only as siblings. However, Elsa was not aware of the love going back into her heart, so she just thought that in death, she was freed from the curses her mother had placed upon her.

As they danced together at a party in a medieval castle, where many other couples waltzed with each other, Elsa and Bianca did not think of love. They did not think of their siblings. They did not think of the world alive above them. They didn't even think of the Underworld outside of Elysium. The two only had eyes and thoughts for each other. The girls smiled at each other; every so often going in for a soft kiss. Free from life, responsibilities, and anything else that might make them unhappy, the two danced together. They considered themselves to be partners. Nothing mattered too much anymore. Nothing but Elysium.

Elsa and Bianca were finally just… Happy.

* * *

 **A/N: This is not the end yet. We still have a few more chapters left. So yeah, please tell me your thoughts.**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Okay, because I am so forgetful, let's just say that I'll either update on either Thursday, Friday, or Saturday. Sunday in extreme cases. But I WILL try to make sure you get a new chapter each week.**

* * *

Nico wasn't ready to summon Elsa's spirit. Not yet. He figured that out when he went into the woods to try to dig the hole it would require. He'd told Hazel where he was going. When she went to check on him, she found him on his knees, only a small hole dug, sobbing into his hands. Hazel had comforted him, and brought him to Elsa's grave. (Everybody had started calling it that. It was just easier.) She gave him a flower to give to Elsa, and let him finish crying. She did all of this without seeming irritated or frustrated. She was gentle and helpful.

Once he had cried away all of his tears, Hazel escorted him back to his cabin. The two sat down on Nico's bed, side by side.

"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked gently, rubbing his shoulder.

"I just… I couldn't do it." He muttered, looking down at his lap. Hazel patiently remained silent, because he looked like he had more that he wanted to say. "I…" His voice broke. "I wanted to be able to hold it together when…" Nico's voice wavered again. His lips began to tremble. "… When I… When I see her again…" He propped his elbow up on his knees and buried his face in his hands. He began to cry into his hands.

"Oh, Nico…" Hazel whispered. She rubbed circles into his back, and then hugged him, burying her face into his shoulder. "It's okay." She didn't feel as lost anymore when Nico was crying. She now knew that he just needed her to comfort him. He didn't expect her or anyone else to fill the void left from Elsa's death. He just needed someone to be there and stand by him as he went through the grief process.

"I want to see Elsa." He choked out. "But… I don't want… I don't want to break down in front of her."

"I think Elsa will understand." Hazel tried to assure him. "She'll understand if you cry, Nico. Both of you went through some really bad stuff. It's okay to cry. I mean, she might even end up crying too."

"I just miss her." He whispered.

"I know you do." She sighed.

"She was only fourteen, Hazel. Fourteen. Only a little older than you." Hazel knew better than to bring up the fact that a lot of demigods died young. She, herself, had been one of them. Elsa had probably gone to Elysium, so that was a step up from Hazel's experience in the Underworld. At least Elsa could have a happy time in the Underworld.

"I know it's hard, Nico." She tried to soothe him. "It's so hard when someone you love dies." Hazel let out a sigh, lifting her head. The two of them sat together for a while. Nico moved so that he was crying into Hazel's shoulder, and so that he could hug her. He missed the affectionate physical contact that he and Elsa exchanged. With Hazel, it just wasn't the same. The two, while they were closer than he was with anyone else, didn't have the understanding and alliance that Elsa and Nico had. Elsa knew Nico better than Hazel knew him. And there was that one fact… He should tell her…

"Hazel?" He whispered, looking up at her.

"Yes, Nico?" She asked, making eye contact.

"I…" The words got caught in his throat, but he knew that he had to at least make an effort to get closer to Hazel. That way, he could get closer to her, and he could get used to not having Elsa. Not that Hazel could replace her. But he should be able to get closer to her. They were actual siblings. "Hazel, I'm… I'm gay." He managed.

"You are?" She questioned, raising her eyebrows. Nico nodded, sitting up. "Oh." Hazel said simply. "Okay."

"You're alright with that?" He inquired.

"You're my brother Nico. I couldn't reject you now, even if I wanted to." She assured him. "No matter what, I love you, okay?" He sighed, nodding. It felt like a small weight had been lifted from the large burden on his shoulders. Not much, but it was a start.

There was a knock on the door.

"One sec, okay?" Hazel got up to open the door, standing so that nobody could see inside of the cabin, in order to give Nico some privacy from whoever was at the door. "Oh, hi Percy." She smiled.

"Hey, Hazel." Percy said from behind the door. He and Annabeth were being homeschooled, and mainly staying at Camp Half-Blood; mailing packets of work back and forth to Percy's mother, who dropped them off at their school. Both of them just needed the semester to rest. "Uh, I noticed that you and Nico weren't at lunch, so I brought you some food and water bottles. It's important to stay hydrated, and to nourish yourself you know? Annabeth told me to tell you that. Also, it's really important to drink a lot of water if you've been sweating a lot or…" His voice dipped into a whisper. To Nico, it was barely audible, but he could still hear it, though he knew that Percy hadn't intended him to. "Crying." The volume of Percy's voice picked up again. "So yeah… Just thought I'd bring these to you."

"Thanks," Hazel accepted the water bottles and wrapped up sandwiches. "It means a lot, you know."

"No problem." Percy shrugged. "What are friends for, right?" Her smile widened as she shut the door. She returned to the bed, and handed Nico a water bottle.

"Drink?" She requested. "I don't want you to get dehydrated, okay?" He mindlessly nodded, and opened the bottle. He chugged the water, effectively emptying the bottle in a couple of minutes. Hazel then handed him a sandwich. "I don't know what it is, but if you don't like it, I can get you another one."

"I don't really care what it is." Nico muttered. "I'm not really that hungry."

"You should eat." She coaxed him. "I mean, I don't remember when I last saw you eat." This was a lie. She saw him pick at his breakfast, barely eating any of it. He'd already sacrificed most of what little he'd taken. The miniscule portion that was left was only half eaten when he left the dining pavilion. But that didn't look like it would fill him up for very long.

Nico sighed, nodding, and unwrapped the sandwich. He took a bite. Hazel hummed with approval, and drank from one of the other water bottles, and began eating her own sandwich. Nico did not finish his, but it was mostly eaten, so she let it slide.

"Are you going to take a shower today?" She asked, slightly remind him.

"I guess." Was his answer.

"Do you want to go for a walk?" She suggested, handing him another water bottle. He, without a complaint, opened it and took long drink.

"Sure." He said. The two left the cabin. Hazel guided him as they walked around the camp, and eventually to the beach. The siblings looked at the ocean's waves, and the cloud above. Then, Nico turned around to look at the giant hill, where Elsa's ice palace once was. He felt a small part of himself die inside as he looked back towards his feet. Hazel turned her head to see what he was looking at. With a sigh, she realized, and placed a hand on Nico's shoulder. She looked at him sadly, but then looked away before he could see.

"Are you up for trying some sparring?" She tried. She did know that exercise could help with depression. She was pretty sure that Nico was, in fact, depressed. He shook his head, looking at her with a hopeless look in his eyes. "Let's walk around a little more, okay?" Hazel knew what to do when Nico was crying, but she wasn't as sure what to do when he was like this. Distant… And kind of dead inside.

It had been a couple of weeks since Elsa's funeral. About a month since she'd died. Hazel knew not to rush Nico, but this was getting repetitive. She was getting depressed, having adopted a couple of Nico's bad habits. Hazel didn't really talk to very many people. Sure, she had Percy, Annabeth, and Piper, but that was only when she wasn't with Nico. He tended to avoid social situations. And it was rare that Hazel spent much time away from him. She did give him a little space, but he needed her. Sometimes Hazel had to eliminate the space that Nico created, because he was sometimes too ashamed to ask for her to be with him or close to him.

That night after Nico fell asleep (he was a heavy sleeper), Hazel snuck out of the cabin, and to the fire in the center of the cabin. The girl who was usually there wasn't there that night. Hazel sat down next to the fire, and began crying. She was only thirteen years old. She was having trouble bearing Nico's depression, and not focusing on herself very much.

The night after the Romans had gone back to their camp, someone got the bright idea to sing the song 'If I Die Young' by The Band Perry at the sing-a-long, after having said, "This one's for Elsa, daughter of Khione." This was a very big mistake. Nico sobbed late into the night, and Hazel stayed up with him, comforting her brother. She spent almost all of her time helping him.

She just needed a break. She buried her face in her hands, and sighed, feeling like she could cry.

"Hazel?" Percy said, approaching her. He was wearing a baggy T-shirt with baggy pajama pants. "Are you okay?" He sat down next to her, giving her some space.

"It's Nico." She murmured. "I think he's depressed." She could trust Percy. He'd known Nico longer than Hazel did. He could offer some insight.

"No offense, but I think that much is obvious." Percy replied without a smile. His face and voice were completely serious. "But are _you_ okay?"

"I think being around and talking to mainly Nico is rubbing some of the depressed habits off on me." She explained with a sigh. "It's not… It's not healthy."

"Do you want me to look after him for a day or so?" Percy suggested. "I'd be totally fine doing that."

"Really?" Hazel looked up at him, relief painfully obvious on her face.

"Yeah." He shrugged. "What are friends for, you know?" A smile broke out on her face. One of relief.

"Thank you." She hugged him. "Thank you so much."

* * *

 **A/N: Remember back in GKSQ when Khione cursed Nico/froze his heart by making it, and the only way to unfreeze it was for Percy to love him back just as much?**

 **Review.**


	15. Chapter 15

Nico awoke to someone knocking on the door. He groaned and rolled over in bed to face the wall, pulling the covers over his head. He was thinking that Hazel would probably get it. When the knocking persisted, he finally sat up to open the door. He figured that Hazel was probably just getting breakfast or something. Nico rubbed his eyes, and straightened the clothes he'd slept in—a shirt that he'd picked up off the floor, and some boxers. Both needed washing. Badly.

He trudged over to the door, with only one sock on. The other must have gotten lost in his bed. His covers were all loose, and no longer tucked under the mattress from Nico pulling at them so much. They were in a major state of disarray, and he hadn't made any effort to make his bed in a while. Hazel left his part of the room well alone, so it was a mess. Her side was neat.

He opened the door, squinting from the bright sunlight.

"Percy?" He furrowed his eyebrows. His voice was hoarse. "What's going on?"

"You're going to be spending the day with me." The son of Poseidon announced. "I thought I'd let Hazel, Piper, and Annabeth have a girls' day together. I said I'd spend the day with you, so here I am." He gave a small smile.

"I think I'll go back to bed." Nico said with a sigh. "I couldn't sleep last night." This was a lie. He slept for several hours, but his dreams were full of Elsa. Her smiling and laughing… Her dancing in the snow and on the ice… Her calling him her _fratello_ … But whenever he reached out for her, he couldn't get to his _sorella_. He'd get close… So close… Yet so far…

"Yeah, about that…" Percy gently pushed his way into the cabin and shut the door. He did, however, open the blinds covering the windows so that there was actually some light in there for once. "Nico… Hazel's really worried about you." He informed Nico. The son of Hades wished that he didn't know that already.

"I know." He mumbled. "And I'm sorry." He sighed. "I just…" Nico realized that he didn't know what to say. He then shrugged. "I'm sorry." He repeated.

"I think you need to get out a bit more." Percy stated firmly.

"Percy—"

"No excuses, Nico." The older boy crossed his arms over his chest. "You have an hour to get ready. Shower, get dressed… The works. We're going to be out in public, by the way." Nico's eyes widened.

"You can't be serious." He pleaded.

"I can, and I am. Nico, I'm not saying you have to be better right away, but… You… You just can't live like this, okay?" Percy sighed. "You're depressed, and you do realize that you're just going to drag Hazel down with you, right?" Nico had never thought of that.

"What?" He gasped.

"Yeah… I'm sorry Nico, but it's true. Hazel's health is at risk here too. Not just yours. So is her happiness and her mental condition. Your habits… She's adopting them too, so that the two of you have the same type of schedule. Your habits are unhealthy, and apparently a definite sign of depression, Nico. And since Hazel's been getting into them…" Percy trailed off, letting Nico fill in the rest with his mind. "Yeah. You're having an even bigger negative effect on her than you thought. She really needed the day off." Nico was silent for a moment, just staring at his feet, processing this information. "Nico… I understand that you're grieving, and I respect that. I'm not asking you to not be sad and stop grieving her. What I am asking is just for you to just… Take care of yourself. Be good to yourself. And that's why we're going to an amusement park, okay? We're going to leave here in a little over an hour. So get ready." Percy inhaled. He didn't like the fact that he had to prod Nico like this, because he was sure that the other boy wouldn't appreciate it in the least. But he had to do it… For Hazel…

Nico wordlessly gathered his toiletries, a towel, and some clothes to change into, then headed over to the showers to get clean. It had been a few days since his last shower. He didn't admit it out loud, but he felt a lot better after showering. He felt cleansed and refreshed. He put on some deodorant, and then brushed his teeth and hair. Nico looked at himself in the mirror. He was so pale and sickly looking… Thin… And tired…

Percy was right. He was being unhealthy. Nico did need to get out. A change of scenery… That would do it.

When he left the bathroom, Percy gave him the onceover and nodded with approval.

"Grab a jacket." He instructed. "You might get cold. We're going to stay past dark. Plus it's fall."

"I don't have one." Nico confessed.

"I'll lend you one." Percy promised. "I think I have a black one. That's your style right?"

"Yeah." Nico muttered. "Before we leave, can I visit Elsa?" Percy hesitated before nodding. Nico smiled faintly; relieved. He took a flower out of the vase he kept on the table in the corner. Snowdrops, courtesy of the Demeter cabin.

Percy led Nico to the Poseidon cabin, and quickly grabbed a black hoodie, and handed it to Nico, who put it on immediately. Percy held the flower while Nico put on the oversized jacket. He noticed that the son of Hades looked so sad… His eyes… they were completely void of happiness or light. Percy shook himself of this observation as he handed the snowdrop back to Nico. After Nico knelt at Elsa's grave, placed the flower on top of the snowflake, and murmured to her for a few minutes, the two made their way to a car parked at the base of Half-Blood Hill.

"It was a birthday gift from my mom and Paul." Percy explained to Nico, even though he didn't really need to. But the son of Poseidon figured that he should probably engage the son of Hades in as much conversation as possible as to get his mind off of everything. Nico looked so devastated as he talked to Elsa's grave, and gave her the flower. There were more snowdrops though. Dead ones sitting around her sarcophagus. Clearly Nico went to her every day and gave her a flower. Percy wondered if he'd be this dedicated if he lost someone, even his mother or Annabeth. "Do you want to talk about Elsa? Tell me about her?"

Nico hesitated before talking about Elsa. What she was like. What they had gone through together. He told Percy a few stories until they arrived at the amusement park. Percy bought tickets, and then the two of them started going on many rides. Nico eventually began smiling and laughing. His cheeks hurt from laughing and smiling so much. His voice hurt from yelling and screaming on the rides. The two ate lunch after most everybody else. They practically ate themselves into a food coma, eating whatever junk food they pleased. There was cotton candy, ice cream, burgers, corn dogs, funnel cakes, and so much more food that Nico felt like he was going to pass out from grogginess. The two went on some softer rides due to that. But he was having the time of his life. He and Percy played a couple of games, winning a few prizes.

Percy was right. This was what Nico had needed. He needed a change of scenery and some fun. He'd also needed some company. The type of company that would lead him to have fun and enjoy himself while also being available to talk. While waiting in line for their first ride, Percy had made it very clear that he was there for Nico.

"You know, I didn't know Elsa." Percy had said. "And I don't know how exactly you're feeling right now. But I'm here for you, man. Okay? I just want you to know that. You can talk to me. Or if you just want to hang, that's fine too. We don't even have to talk." Nico smiled faintly at that, nodding.

He was exhausted when he and Percy finally arrived back with leftover cotton candy, and the prizes that they'd won in tow. For once, Nico didn't just feel emotionally tired. He felt physically tired and drowsy because he and Percy had indulged in more food after they had gone on the rides that they'd wanted to go on. He hadn't felt physically exhausted in a long time. He hadn't eaten that much food in a long time. He hadn't smiled or laughed so much in a long time either. Nico pretty much conked out once he got into the Hades cabin. He fell asleep with his shoes on, the things he'd won and the cotton candy lying on the bed.

When he awoke, his breath tasted absolutely awful, so he rose, letting go of the stuffed animals and bag of cotton candy. He stumbled over to the bathroom, and brushed his teeth. He wondered how long he'd been asleep. He went back into the cabin, and found that Hazel was sitting up in bed.

"Did I wake you up?" Nico asked apologetically.

"Yeah." Hazel smiled sheepishly. "Don't worry about it though." She looked at her watch. "It's about eight in the morning. What time did you get back last night?"

"Um, about eleven." Nico said, thinking. "Yeah, that's about right."

"Did you have fun?"

Nico smiled, and sat down on his bed to take off his shoes and get some fresh clothes to change into. "Yeah. I did."


	16. Chapter 16

Nico figured out that it was beneficial to spend time with Percy. The two sparred together. Percy taught Nico how to swim and about canoeing. The two worked on the climbing wall together, encouraging the other. Percy taught Nico chariot riding. Nico slowly grew more physically fit. As his physical health improved, so did his mental health. He no longer needed to be reminded to eat; he had a fast metabolism, and was always hungry. He ate healthy too. He was tanner now from working out in the sun.

It had been four months since Elsa had died. It was December. Hazel was just going to stay until the beginning of the New Year, and then she'd go back to Camp Jupiter. For their birthdays and Christmas. She was happier now too, because she didn't have to watch Nico suffer in his self-destructive habits. They were both pretty tired from all of the physical activity they engaged in during the day, and both crashed out pretty quickly. The dark circles were gone from under Nico's eyes.

Sometimes Hazel joined Percy and Nico with their training. Sometimes Piper and Annabeth joined them too, and the five of them would all work out together.

In November, Percy and Annabeth had broken up. It was mutual and without tears.

"We're better off as friends." Percy had said. "It was turning into one of those relationships where we were more friends, anyway. You know, like lesbian bed death? It was like that. And whenever we kissed or tried anything like that, it'd just start to remind us of all of the crap we've been through. In these past few months, we just stopped really feeling the spark. If we didn't break up, we would have just gone on, slogging through stuff, forgetting how to love each other, only seeing projections of our own junk." He had shrugged. "We didn't really have that much in common anyway. It was for the best."

Annabeth had gone on to graduate high school early, and then she'd gone to Camp Jupiter to go to college. It had surprised exactly nobody when she turned out to be bisexual and going out with Reyna. The two had a lot in common, and as well as a lot of chemistry. They were great for each other.

The January after Nico turned fifteen, Percy began talking about maybe being bisexual himself. Nico finally told Percy that he was gay, and gave him what little advice he could.

Piper turned out to be pansexual. Her relationship with Jason didn't work out due to the distance, and the fact that it was based off of fake memories. She began going out with Rachel, once the redhead had returned from Camp Jupiter. The two both liked art a lot, and that was the mere start of things.

Nico began studying to get his GED. Because Percy had learned everything Nico was trying to learn, he helped to explain some of the concepts. The two studied together.

That April, the two were sitting by the lake, quizzing each other, until suddenly, they were kissing. Nico's eyes were wide once the boys pulled away from each other. Had that finally happened?

"Gods, I've wanted to do that for a while." Percy admitted. "I like you, Nico. I know we have an age difference between us…"

"And it doesn't matter because I am older than I look." Nico said with a smirk on his face. Percy lightened up after that, and the two began to go out. The two, as well as Piper and Rachel, went to gay pride as a double date. Percy and Nico had been together for two months, and they couldn't be happier. Rachel and Piper had been together for five months. Their relationship was entirely romantic, as Rachel still might have the Oracle of Delphi inside of her.

Nico still talked to Elsa sometimes. Percy did come with him once in a while. Nico always brought her flowers. He still hadn't summoned her spirit.

That August, on the anniversary of her death, he decided that he would summon her ghost. He was much better now. He could handle it. He knew that he might end up crying, but that was only natural.

Percy promised Nico that he'd be there for him during this.

Percy was going to go to college in New Rome in the fall to study marine biology. Nico was still studying to get his GED, and figuring out what interested him enough to do for life. He'd discovered his love for comic books with Percy, who'd introduced him to comic books. His favorite superhero was the Black Widow, which had surprised Percy a little at first.

Nico hung a couple of the paintings of Elsa. There wasn't quite enough room in the Hades cabin to hang all of them, so he only hung his two favorites.

His heart was still frozen, but he knew that it would take time for it to be unfrozen. He was already probably most of the way there on the road of thawing it.

On the evening of August first, Nico dug a hole, and filled it with Norwegian foods that he knew Elsa enjoyed, and summoned her spirit. Percy stood off to the side.

It took a moment, but Elsa appeared, looking the way she had when he'd last seen her body, except less… Dead… She looked happy, and at peace with herself. And she was holding hands with Bianca.

"Elsa!" Nico grinned, feeling tears well up in his eyes. "Bianca?"

"Hello, Nico." Elsa whispered. "It's been so long…"

"It has." He nodded. "It's been a year since you died."

"And even longer since I last saw you." She sighed. "You look so different, _broren min."_ Nico knew that to mean 'my brother' in Norwegian.

"So the two have you have gotten to know each other in Elysium?" He asked.

"Yes." Bianca confirmed. "But there is something you must know, Nico."

"We're lovers." Elsa told him. Nico was surprised for a moment, and then he saw the love in their eyes for each other. He smiled.

"Congratulations." He said, giving a nod. "Percy Jackson and I are dating. We've been together four months now."

"That's wonderful, Nico!" Elsa smiled wider.

"I give your grave flowers every day." He murmured after a moment. "I miss you a lot."

"And I you, Nico. Both of us do." Elsa assured him. "But we're both happy right?"

"Yeah, we are." He nodded. "I suppose this is the part where I say goodbye, huh?"

"We can't stay forever." Bianca reminded him. He nodded.

"I love both of you." Nico told them. "I miss you both every day. But I'm okay." Tears finally found their way down his cheeks. "I'm with someone I love."

Suddenly, warmth washed over Nico, and he collapsed to the ground. Percy ran forward to see if he was okay. Nico clutched his heart. Suddenly, he could feel everything. His romantic love for Percy, his platonic love for Elsa, Bianca, and Hazel, and the platonic love he'd started feeling for other people such as Reyna and Jason…

"Nico?!" Elsa gasped. "Did you… Did you just…?" She held on tighter to Bianca, who was letting them have their moment.

"My heart… It's thawed." Nico began crying happy tears again.

"Oh, Nico!" Elsa's face lit up. "That's wonderful!" She looked so happy for him. Happy enough so that if she was alive, she would have been crying tears of joy. To her, she was glad that at least one of them had thawed their heart. Unbeknownst to her, her heart was unfrozen and she was free. But Elsa didn't know that, and never would.

"Wait, what happened?" Percy asked, confused.

"I'll explain later." Nico promised his boyfriend. He knew that the love he felt for Percy was finally equal to the love Percy felt for him. He was finally free from Khione's hold. Both he and Elsa were.

Finally…


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: While this is the final chapter for Snowdrops, Roses is not even close to finished yet, so you still have that one.**

* * *

Nico started college in New Rome the fall before he turned seventeen. He'd, after drawing his favorite superheroes and villains, discovered that he had talent and enjoyed drawing and creating art. He decided to become a graphic artist.

Both Percy and Nico were able to get degrees and eventually find jobs in New York. They stayed together the whole time they were in college; living in the same apartment. That wasn't to say that they didn't have their fights—which they did. However, they were able to kiss and make up afterwards. Each year, they'd go to gay pride together. When they were in New Rome, they went with Reyna and Annabeth.

They got an apartment together in New York, with separate rooms so that they could have their own space. Mainly so Nico could have a place to do his work. Often, they slept in the same bed, meaning Nico went to Percy's room. Sometimes he was up late doing work, so he just crashed on the bed in what was sort of his office. They'd been in New York together for two years—seven years together in all—when Percy finally popped the question.

He was lying in bed with Nico one morning on Percy's day off, and they were cuddling post coitally.

"Hey Nico?"

"Hm?"

"Will you marry me?" There was a pause. Nico honestly wasn't expecting this, and just laid there; surprised. Percy began to feel really bad about asking when Nico finally replied.

"Yes." He said simply.

"Really?"

"Yeah. I love you, and we've been together for seven years. Did you get a ring?" This was all so casual that Percy had to actually make an effort not to laugh.

"Yeah, I did." Nico liked to wear rings with personal meaning. They were kind of like tattoos to him. He had the skull ring, and snowflake ring, both of which he kept on his right hand.

Percy sat up and pulled a ring box out of the nightstand drawer.

"We can find another one if you don't like it. You're not easy to buy a ring for, and the selection for men wasn't big." Percy shrugged when saying this. Nico took the ring box, and opened it. Inside was a silver band. It was styled in a way that looked like a twisted rope or something. There was one link that had a few tiny diamonds on it. On the inside, it was engraved with ' _Always and Forever'._ Nico smiled and put it on his left ring finger.

"I do like it." He assured Percy. "We're going to get you a ring too though." Percy smiled.

"Fair enough."

* * *

About a year and a half later, the two of them got married. Nico was twenty-four, and Percy was twenty-seven. Their family and friends who were alive were there, even Percy's mom and Paul. (They were given special permission to enter Camp for this.) They got married on Half-Blood hill, by Thalia's pine tree, and Elsa's grave. Before the ceremony, Nico brought her snowdrops, telling her that they not only symbolized death; they symbolized new beginnings too.

Percy's engagement ring was a silver band with a tiny heart made of even tinier diamonds. On the inside, it was engraved as _'My Heart Is Yours'._ Their wedding bands were silver with a small strip of gold.

The two of them wrote their own vows. Chiron was the one to marry them together. Percy took Nico's last name.

The reception was on the beach. They waves were calm and didn't come in very much; a gift from Poseidon.

Their honeymoon, because they'd been saving their money for a long time, was in Venice, Italy. They had two full weeks of heaven together before they had to go back to their new apartment and to work. But they were now married. They'd promised themselves to each other.

* * *

Both of them still had nightmares about things that had happened in their lives. They went to a demigod therapist because of it. But they were okay. They were better.

After two years of marriage, the couple decided that they wanted to adopt a child. They were on a waiting list for a while, until they adopted a baby girl right from the hospital. Percy and Nico were entranced with the baby right away, and agreed on the name Elsa Bianca di Angelo.

They spoiled their daughter as she grew up. Because adopting one child was expensive, they couldn't have another. But they were fine with it. Little Elsa grew up surrounded by love. She had her two fathers, and her grandparents. Sally loved to babysit Elsa.

When she was young, Elsa had blonde hair and blue eyes. As she grew older, her hair darkened. She never really looked like her namesake though. Not that Nico ever expected her to. His sisters were in Elysium together; as lovers.

Nico told her all about her namesakes as bedtime stories. At his daughter's request, Nico hung the paintings in her room. Well… Not all of them. There were a few that he put in his office because they were a little intense for little Elsa. He was extremely protective of her. He was kind of a stay-at-home dad too. He taught her Norwegian and Italian while she was still learning to talk.

He lived long and happy life. When he got old with Percy, the son of Poseidon died first. Little Elsa (Nico always called her that throughout her life) was married with children. Nico loved his grandchildren and spoiled them; telling them about their mother's namesake. The Snow Queen. Little Elsa also passed down the paintings. She promised to keep them in the family.

On the day that Nico died, he could feel it coming when he woke up that morning. But he didn't want to die in some hospital room, hooked up to a bunch of machines. So he had little Elsa take him to his late husband's grave. It had been three years since Percy passed away. He gave Percy some red roses. His grave was at the beach by Montauk, where his parents had met. Little Elsa knew about demigods, but was mortal herself. She was, however, born with the ability to see through the mist. Her husband and children didn't actually know about demigods though.

Then Nico had her take him to Elsa's grave. He already knew that he wanted to be buried with Percy, but he wanted to die with Elsa. She should have been little Elsa's aunt/godmother. She should have been there at his wedding. He should have gone to her wedding. They should have been able to spend their lives together as brother and sister.

He brought a bouquet of snowdrops to Elsa's grave and put it on top of the glass snowflake. He looked to see that the sculpture on the hill was still there. It was.

"Little Elsa, meet your aunt." He managed. "She died at fourteen killing three immortals at once. But you knew that. Don't let her be forgotten." Little Elsa nodded, and helped him to sit down on a camping chair that she brought for him to sit in. She had brought another for herself.

It was a beautiful day in spring… In Nico's opinion, it was a beautiful day to die.

He began talking to Elsa. Little Elsa sat there, holding her father's hand. She was crying, because she didn't want to lose her only living father, even though he was content with his life and ready for it to finish. Little Elsa listened as her father recounted his life since his wedding. She did her best to cry silently, but she couldn't help but let out a few sobs.

"Don't be sad, little Elsa." Nico told his daughter once he was finished telling Elsa his story. "I'll be with my husband and sisters."

"I'm going to miss you so much, Papa." Little Elsa whispered. The sun was setting. Once it was gone, Nico knew that he would die. The sun was setting on him.

" _Addio, mia bambina."_ Nico bade his daughter, his face completely serene. " _Ti amo, piccola Elsa."_

 _"Addio Papa. Ti amo."_ Little Elsa whispered to her father.

 _"Ci vediamo presto, Bianca."_ His eyes were closed upon saying this. _"Sto arrivando, Percy; amore mio."_ Nico whispered, looking to the rings on his left hand. He looked to the grave that lay before him before switching languages. _"Jeg skal være der snart, Elsa. Søsteren min. Min snø dronning. Jeg er glad i deg."_

The sun disappeared from the horizon, and Nico exhaled; his eyes closing for the last time; a smile etched upon his face.

* * *

 **A/N: Translations for this chapter: (Google Translate was used. If you would like to fix the Italian and Norwegian, please please please message me.**

 _Addio, mia bambina =_ Goodbye, my little girl

 _Ti amo, piccola Elsa=_ I love you, little Elsa

 _Addio Papa. Ti amo=_ Farewell Popa. I love you

 _Ci vediamo presto, Bianca=_ See you soon, Bianca

 _Sto arrivando, Percy; amore mio=_ I'm coming, Percy; my love

 _Jeg skal være der snart, Elsa. Søsteren min. Min snø dronning. Jeg er glad i deg.=_ I'll be there soon, Elsa. My sister. My snow queen. I love you.

 **So yeah. That's the end.**


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